In the wake of the political turbulence fomented by the martial law crisis and consequent polarization, the East Asia Institute (EAI) previously convened the conference “The Future of Korean Democracy and Institutional Reform: Crisis and Alternatives I & II”in February, featuring esteemed scholars of South Korean domestic politics. To further illuminate the far-reaching ramifications of such polarization, the Institute has translated and published two briefings: one exploring the influence of partisan alignment on foreign policy perceptions (Yul Sohn, President of EAI and Professor at Yonsei University), and the other analyzing how polarization is reflected in gendered patterns of political perception (Hanna Kim, Professor at Chinju National University of Education). While political allegiances have led to starkly divergent views on foreign policy, young men and women in their twenties are also exhibiting increasingly polarized and incongruent patterns in terms of political activism and ideological orientation. Ultimately, the findings highlight how partisan alignment now functions as a central axis around which much of South Korea’s political and policy landscape revolves.
Yul Sohn, "Polarized Politics, Fissured Diplomacy: How Partisanship Imperils South Korea’s Foreign Policy" [Read Working Paper]
Hanna Kim, "Between Protest and Apathy: The Gendered Divide in South Korea’s Martial Law Crisis" [Read Working Paper]
“Strengthening U.S.-ROK Policy Coordination Under Trump’s Second Term”
[Global NK Commentary] Korea’s Constitutional Crisis and North Korea Policy Cooperation with the U.S.
Ihn-hwi Park, Professor at Ewha Womans University, stresses the nontrivial significance of ROK-U.S. presidential-level coordination in joint policy toward North Korea, which has expanded beyond the Korean Peninsula to become enmeshed within the global security architecture. Park corroborates his claim by outlining the unique nature of the threats posed by the North: not only do the structural idiosyncrasies of South Korean politics render the issue one of exclusive presidential prerogative, but the acerbically transactional nature of President Trump`s foreign policy also necessitates one-on-one negotiation. While acknowledging that the current state of South Korean political turmoil, incited by the martial law crisis and polarization over impeachment, constitutes a constitutional crisis, Park nonetheless proposes a roadmap, including the prompt resumption of Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) meetings and the revival of direct communication channels between the presidents.
