@article{ART003285119},
author={Hyun-Chin Lim},
title={The Future of Democracy in South Korea from a Comparative Perspective: A Proposal for Political Reform},
journal={Asia Review},
issn={2234-0386},
year={2025},
volume={15},
number={3},
pages={131-169}
TY - JOUR
AU - Hyun-Chin Lim
TI - The Future of Democracy in South Korea from a Comparative Perspective: A Proposal for Political Reform
JO - Asia Review
PY - 2025
VL - 15
IS - 3
PB - 아시아연구소
SP - 131
EP - 169
SN - 2234-0386
AB - South Korea has long been regarded as one of the most successful cases of third-wave democracy, achieving democratic transition and consolidation after a period of authoritarian rule. In recent years, however, Korean democracy has entered a phase of profound instability. The most critical moment occurred on December 3, 2024, when President Yoon Suk-Yeol declared martial law, an action that triggered impeachment proceedings by the National Assembly and culminated in his removal from office by the Constitutional Court on April 4, 2025. This constitutional crisis revealed the fragility of governance under conditions of political uncertainty and intensified polarization between progressive and conservative blocs.
Operating under a presidential system and single-member districts with a simple majoritarian electoral rule, South Korea’s institutional design enables a winner-takes-all outcome even with marginal pluralities. This framework has generated recurrent clashes between an “imperial presidency” and an opposition-dominated legislature, producing an institutional deadlock.
Moreover, the failure of both political leaders and the public to internalize democratic norms has distorted representative institutions and fostered divisions within civil society. These dynamics have been exacerbated by fandom politics, with social conflicts across class, region, ideology, generation, gender, and labor markets, pushing political polarization to critical levels. This paper explores institutional and normative reforms aimed at overcoming these vulnerabilities. It argues that a shift toward consensus politics and social corporatism can facilitate coexistence between majority and minority forces, thereby mitigating the deepening partisan conflict and restoring democratic resilience.
KW - Populism;Phandom Politics;Political Polarization;Political;Representation System;Interest Mediation System;Simple Majoritarian;Politics and Social Pluralism;Consensus Politics and Social Corporatism
DO -
UR -
ER -
Hyun-Chin Lim. (2025). The Future of Democracy in South Korea from a Comparative Perspective: A Proposal for Political Reform. Asia Review, 15(3), 131-169.
Hyun-Chin Lim. 2025, "The Future of Democracy in South Korea from a Comparative Perspective: A Proposal for Political Reform", Asia Review, vol.15, no.3 pp.131-169.
Hyun-Chin Lim "The Future of Democracy in South Korea from a Comparative Perspective: A Proposal for Political Reform" Asia Review 15.3 pp.131-169 (2025) : 131.
Hyun-Chin Lim. The Future of Democracy in South Korea from a Comparative Perspective: A Proposal for Political Reform. 2025; 15(3), 131-169.
Hyun-Chin Lim. "The Future of Democracy in South Korea from a Comparative Perspective: A Proposal for Political Reform" Asia Review 15, no.3 (2025) : 131-169.
Hyun-Chin Lim. The Future of Democracy in South Korea from a Comparative Perspective: A Proposal for Political Reform. Asia Review, 15(3), 131-169.
Hyun-Chin Lim. The Future of Democracy in South Korea from a Comparative Perspective: A Proposal for Political Reform. Asia Review. 2025; 15(3) 131-169.
Hyun-Chin Lim. The Future of Democracy in South Korea from a Comparative Perspective: A Proposal for Political Reform. 2025; 15(3), 131-169.
Hyun-Chin Lim. "The Future of Democracy in South Korea from a Comparative Perspective: A Proposal for Political Reform" Asia Review 15, no.3 (2025) : 131-169.
