A lot of the reason behind South Korea's rapid economic development has to do with the way Park Chung Hye implemented modernizing and reform policies, and how he funded them. There are literally thousands of examples, but my favorite anecdote involves the use of ROKA's best units to support the American war effort in Vietnam. Park sent down these men to have them trained, equipped, and supplied by the Americans, and in return he was paid massive sums. He used those sums to modernize Korea's shipbuilding and steel industries, which in turn stimulated a variety of other industries. As a cherry on top, when the war ended he had several crack units of infantry trained and equipped by the United States essentially for free.

Park Chung Hee is considered to have been the most influential leader of that era. Even the political candidate who ran against his daughter in the last election admitted he was mostly right (except about repression). Unfortunately I can't find the quotes, but this article covers a lot of the essential points.