South Korea's Democracy at a Crossroads

• 발행기관: 한국학술연구원
• 저자명: Aram Hur
• 간행물 정보: 『Korea Observer』Vol 56, No 1, 1~18쪽, 전체 18쪽
• 주제분류: 사회과학 > 정치외교학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2025.03.31

국문 초록

Two questions are commonly asked about South Korea's stunning martial law decree in 2024: Why this and why now? I take a historical-structural approach to trace South Korea's recent crisis back to the nationalist origins of its democracy. South Korea democratized amid internal nationalist conflict that became entrenched into the nascent party system, polarizing the party factions along mutually exclusive nationalist visions. Such nationalist polarization is not just more intense; nationalism's state-seeking nature is uniquely damaging to the essence of what makes democracies democratic. South Korea's episode is best viewed not as an aberration, but as a symptom of endemic quality issues stemming from divided nationhood. The political galvanization of youth—the silver lining—offers optimism for party realignment away from the national axis of the Cold War past and toward a unified democratic future.

목차

Ⅰ. Introduction

Ⅱ. South Korea's Democratization Amid Nationalist Conflict

Ⅲ. The Pernicious Effects of Nationalist Polarization

Ⅳ. The Unprecedented Rise of the Left

Ⅴ. Democratic Breakdown or Break Through?

References

키워드

Martial law Democracy Nationalist polarization Party competition