Even in Korea, Libertarians stand apart

This article from the Korea Herald caught my attention. It's interesting to read about the political environment of other nations, at times it is similar to ours.

“Libertarians are a real minority in Korea. We were regarded as lunatics, crazy guys,” says Kim of his and a number of like-minded individuals’ decision to found the think tank in 1997, in the midst of the Asian financial crisis.

“We wanted to spread libertarian ideas to Korean society because I think it is the solution for the prosperity of Korea. Even though the general public didn’t believe so, we believed that.”

Central to the CFE’s aims is the promotion of free market ideas, such as those of Milton Friedman and Frederick Hayek, which advocate limited government and increased personal freedom.

Kim is adamant that such policies are essential for Korea to achieve strong economic growth, a position that President Lee Myung-bak championed prior to his election in 2007 and the global financial crisis in 2008. But Kim, who voted for Lee, doesn’t see the president’s stated belief in the free market being reflected in his current policies.