In the 1950s, South Korea’s GDP per capita was $876, roughly comparable with that of Cote d’Ivoire and somewhat below Ghana’s. This book compares the rapid development of South Korea over the past seventy years with selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa to assess what factors contributed to the country’s success story, and why it is that countries which were comparable in the past continue to experience challenges in achieving and sustaining economic growth. The book will be of interest to researchers and students working on development, comparative political economy, and foreign aid, and to policy makers and practitioners looking for a greater understanding of comparative development trajectories.