Applying a Western-based policy community framework to the analysis of South Korean elite sport policy: the role of businesses and armed forces

Abstract

This article explores the evolution of elite sport development policy in South Korea with a particular focus on the role of Chaebol (large corporations) and Sangmu (armed forces), which are considered to have been primary driving forces over the past two decades in Korea's increasing success on the Summer Olympic stage. This article aims to evaluate the appropriateness of a Western-based policy community framework applied to South Korean elite sport. The analysis is informed by empirical data drawn from 26 semi-structured interviews with senior officials (government and non-governmental) and an analysis of government and non-governmental policy documents. The analysis shows that a modified version of policy community, policy implementation community, has developed in connection with Korean elite sport which was founded on the power of the president and a few senior politicians.

Keywords:

• Chaebol
• Sangmu
• elite sport
• policy community
• sport policy
• South Korea