Implications of the South Korean General Elections for the “Sleeping Dragons”
The Yoon administration is the first in Korean constitutional history to have a minority legislature throughout a president’s tenure.
2022 in Review: Is Korea Becoming More Polarized?
Korean voters are generally centrist. However, there is some evidience of growing political polarization, especially among partisan voters.
Growth and Climate Change Mitigation At Odds
The South Korean government’s dual aim of promoting economic growth while pursuing carbon neutrality faces headwinds.
Cabinet Reshuffle to Reflect Focus on North Korea
Moon Jae-in’s former special envoy to North Korea is expected to coordinate Pyongyang engagement with the Biden administration.
Economic Concerns Dominate Political Discourse
After a prolonged focus on anti-corruption, public safety, and North Korea since the Park Geun-hye administration, political discourse returns to bread and butter issues.
Government Struggles to Juggle Messaging around the Crisis
Public opinion sours as the government’s subsidies for corporations appear at odds with calls for personal sacrifice to overcome the pandemic.
Why Did Kim Jong-un Call for a Party Congress?
Party Congresses are rare in North Korea. How should we to interpret Kim Jong-un’s surprising decision to call one for early 2021?
Regionalism: Fading Shadow or Unyielding Ghost?
A closer look at the outcome of South Korea’s legislative election suggests that party support based on regional affiliation is declining.
Koreans Vote for Continuity with the Ruling Party
The outcome of this year’s legislative election subverted assumptions that voters tend to support the opposition party to check the ruling party.
High Turnout Points to Policy Success
High voter turnout in the recent National Assembly election can be attributed to long-term effort to expand the pool of eligible voters.