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South Korea’s postwar transformation – famously dubbed the “Miracle on the Han River” – is one of the 20th century’s most dramatic development stories. Between the end of the Korean War in 1953 and the dawn of the 1990s, South Korea vaulted from war-torn poverty to newly industrialized prosperity. This rapid economic rise was accompanied by sweeping modernization and eventually, profound political change. How did South Korea go from ruins to riches in under four decades? This article explores the foundations laid in the 1950s under Syngman Rhee, the state-driven industrial boom under Park Chung-hee, the crucial roles of U.S.…