[ADRN Issue Briefing] South Korea’s Democracy after an Autogolpe Attempt: Wounds by a Thousand Cuts
Commentary·Issue Briefing
Jung Kim | 2025-01-07
Jung Kim, an Associate Professor at the University of North Korean Studies (UNKS), examines the far-reaching implications of South Korea’s recent constitutional crisis, triggered by the President’s declaration of martial law, described as an “autogolpe” or self-coup. Kim highlights the dangers of presidential overreach, the ruling party’s miscalculation in endorsing such actions, and the opposition’s reliance on constitutional hardball tactics?all of which undermine the country’s democratic framework and obstruct governmental accountability. Kim cautions that South Korea’s constitutional democracy remains fragile, with its recovery dependent on bridging deep political divisions and restoring the integrity of its institutions.
[ADRN Working Paper] Vertical Accountability in Asia: Country Cases (Final Report Ⅱ)
Working Paper
Asia Democracy Research Network | 2024-12-27
Active citizen participation in democratic decision-making?through formal mechanisms such as elections and political parties, alongside the roles of media and civil society organizations?is vital for ensuring governmental accountability. The Asia Democracy Research Network (ADRN) conducted research to examine gaps between vertical accountability institutions and their implementation across the region, while identifying key reforms for the future. As part of this initiative, EAI published a series of working papers analyzing cases from the Philippines and Taiwan. The research underscores the importance of political parties in aggregating interests and engaging citizens to replace underperforming governments. Additionally, it highlights the need to balance representative mechanisms with direct democratic processes, such as referendums and recall elections, to enhance accountability and responsiveness in governance.
[EAI-Brookings Conference] The Future of Alliances, Partnerships, and the Indo-Pacific Regional Order
Commentary·Issue Briefing
EAI, Brookings Institution | 2024-12-02
On November 22, EAI and the Brookings Institution co-hosted "The Future of Alliances, Partnerships, and the Indo-Pacific Regional Order." Eleven experts from South Korea, the U.S., and Southeast Asia discussed the potential U.S. `retrenchment` from the Indo-Pacific under a second Trump administration, emphasizing the role of middle powers in sustaining multilateralism and regional stability. This publication includes a summary and full transcript of the discussions.

PUBLICATIONS

MORE
[ADRN Working Paper] Vertical Accountability: A Case Study of Nepal (Interim Report)
Working Paper
[ADRN Working Paper] Vertical Accountability: A Case Study of Nepal (Interim Report)
Ujjwal Sundas | 2024-12-26
1. Introduction   Following the People’s Movement of 2006, the country made significant strides towards a more democratic systеm of governance, with notable shifts occurring within the political landscape. All of the country’s major political parties began to emphasize the importance of “inclusion&rd...
[EAI Public Opinion Briefing] 2024 EAI Public Opinion Poll on International Affairs: Japan and the ROK-Japan Relations
Commentary·Issue Briefing
[EAI Public Opinion Briefing] 2024 EAI Public Opinion Poll on International Affairs: Japan and the ROK-Japan Relations
East Asia Institute | 2024-09-19
2024 EAI Public Opinion Poll on International Affairs: Japan and the ROK-Japan Relations   2023 Korean Survey 2024 Korean Survey Population Adults aged 18 and over Adults aged 18 and over Sampling Method...
Multimedia
[EAI-NDI Capstone Roundtable] ROK-U.S. Parliamentary Democratic Partnership (Session 2)
| 2024-05-16
Over the past eighteen months, EAI has been actively engaging with the members of the ROK National Assembly, scholars, and civil society stakeholders to enhance domestic and regional collaboration for advancing democratic norms and values. Reflecting on our progress, this culminating capstone event sought to gather parliamentari...

EAI NEWS

MORE

MAJOR PROJECT

MORE

U.S.- China
Strategic Competition

Global NK
Zoom & Connect

Redesigning
Korea-Japan Relations

Democracy
Cooperation

Future of Trade,
Technology,
Energy Order

Future Innovation
and Governance

RELATED WEBSITE

MORE
대북 복합전략 영문 종합 웹사이트 Global North Korea The archival website compiling
North Korean published
아시아 민주주의 연구 네트워크 ADRN Asia Democracy Research Network
Journal of East Asian Studies JEAS Journal of East Asian Studies
Public Opinion Survey
Data