The Organizational Sustainability of Environmental Nongovernmental Organizations in South Korea: A Preliminary Study of Autonomy, Public Perception, and Advocacy

Abstract

This thesis investigates environmental nongovernmental organizations (ENGOs) operating in the non-Western setting of the Republic of South Korea by presenting a literature review of the history of Korean NGOs and the environmental movement in Korea, and analyzing data gathered while conducting interviews at a selection of Korean ENGOs. By adapting the Family Health International (FHI) 360 Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index (CSOSI), this study advances the field of research on the Korean civil society sector by offering insights into how Korean ENGOs have adapted to changes and sustained themselves as organizations. It examines Korean ENGOs’ autonomy from the Korean government, the impact of government funding on ENGOs advocacy, and ENGOs’ concern about how they are perceived by other sectors in Korea. The findings reveal three hypotheses for further research on the ENGO sector in Korea and other parts of the world.