Politics

In October 2006, Kim Jong-il’s North Korea again seized international attention. With its claimed underground nuclear test, Pyongyang upped the ante in its confrontation with the United States and the…

By Jeffrey Robertson When the Lee Myung-Bak administration took office in February 2008, the public’s mood shifted quickly. By the end of June 2008, people were on the streets in protest, including more than 80,000 in a single night’s candlelight vigil; the entire cabinet had offered its resignation; and Lee Myung-Bak’s approval ratings had fallen…

By Nicholas Hamisevicz, Chad O’Carroll, Seongjin James Ahn, and Troy Stangarone Last year saw a series of significant events on the Korean peninsula. The year concluded with the historic election of South Korea’s first female president, Park Geun-hye, and North Korea’s successful missile launch into space. In 2012, we also saw the implementation of the…

By Nicholas Hamisevicz A year of transitions finishes in historic fashion as South Korea elects Park Geun-hye as its first female president. Her election capped off a series of democratic presidential elections that featured nicely at the beginning and end of this year of transitions, leading off with Ma Ying-jeou winning reelection in Taiwan. Yet…

Below are the key findings from the surveys conducted by Research and Research in November and December. Where applicable, dates the survey was conducted are in brackets. The presidential race between Park Geun-Hye and Moon Jae-In remained tight. As of December 12, 43.4% support Park, while 41.9% support Moon. Following Ahn Cheol-Soo’s exit from the…