New Books in Science, Technology, and Society

Patrick Chung, "Standardizing Empire: The US Military, Korea, and the Origins of Military-Industrial Capitalism" (U Pennsylvania Press, 2026)

Mar 6, 2026

Patrick Chung, assistant professor of history at UMD and author of Standardizing Empire, explores how the U.S. military reshaped Korea’s economy and drove the rise of military-industrial capitalism. He recounts the Han River Bridge story, explains logistics and procurement standards, traces Hanjin and other companies’ ties to military demand, and discusses labor, deindustrialization, and global infrastructure.

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ANECDOTE

Han River Bridge Jumpstarted Hyundai

The Han River Bridge explosion and hurried reconstruction illustrate how wartime chaos enabled contractors to transform into national champions.
Hyundai moved from an auto repair garage to a major construction firm by rebuilding the bridge under U.S. military contracts during and after the Korean War.

INSIGHT

Mutual Security Militarized Development

The Mutual Security Program militarized U.S. foreign assistance by prioritizing projects that enhanced military operations over purely civilian development.
In Korea this meant waterworks, roads, and utilities were funded to sustain bases, turning the military into a major global consumer of construction materials like pipes.

INSIGHT

Standards Drove Contractor Centralization

Standardized procurement and enforced specifications centralized industries by rewarding firms that could produce at scale and low cost for U.S. military contracts.
Under Eisenhower's efficiency push the military opened bidding and used standards to reshape production and supplier concentration globally.

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Standardizing Empire: The US Military, Korea, and the Origins of Military-Industrial Capitalism (U Pennsylvania Press, 2026) by Dr. Patrick Chung traces the origins of today’s United States-led capitalist world economy. The nation’s foreign policy during the Cold War saw two unprecedented developments: the continuous global deployment of US soldiers and the creation of a permanent worldwide military base network. In the process, the US military came to control the flow of billions of dollars, large-scale construction projects at home and abroad, the purchase of countless goods and services, and the employment of millions of soldiers and workers. In other words, the Cold War US military became the world’s leading economic actor.
To illuminate the political and economic consequences of the US military’s globalization, Dr. Chung focuses on its activities in South Korea between the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Chung shows how the Korean War and the subsequent militarization of South Korea became an important site for the spread of a new economic system, which he calls military-industrial capitalism. Sustained by providing the infrastructure and materials for the US military’s globalization, military-industrial capitalism influenced the development of governments, corporations, and workers throughout the US-led “free world.” As military-industrial capitalism expanded, more of the world depended on the physical and administrative standards used by the US military. Ironically, the creation of a globalized economy facilitated both South Korea’s “economic miracle” and the decline of US industrial might.
To clarify how these broader developments transformed everyday life in South Korea and around the world, Standardizing Empire explores three of South Korea’s leading multinational corporations today: shipping company Hanjin, steelmaker POSCO, and car manufacturer Hyundai. These case studies not only trace the companies’ early ties to the US military but also explain how they came to produce, sell, and employ workers worldwide, including in the United States.

This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda’s interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.

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