Saemaul Undong (also known as the New Village Movement) is a South Korean rural development program that began in the 1970s under the leadership of then-President Park Chung-hee. Its aim is to reduce poverty and improve living conditions in rural areas by empowering local communities and encouraging self-help initiatives. The program emphasizes collective action, cooperation, self-discipline, and hard work. It includes a range of activities such as cooperative farming, improved agricultural techniques, infrastructure development, and community organization. The program has been credited with helping to reduce poverty and improve living standards in rural areas. It has also been used as a model for similar programs in other countries around the world.