This article explores the political history of South Korea and debates whether it can be considered a dictatorship. It covers the country's colonization by Japan, division into North and South Korea, military coups, transition to democracy, economic growth, human rights concerns, North-South relations, and foreign relations. While the first two military regimes were authoritarian, South Korea has been a democracy since 1987 and has made significant progress in democratization and economic development. However, there are still many human rights challenges that need to be addressed.