Republic of Korea
The Republic of Korea, also known as South Korea, performs at the high level in Representation and Rights and it performs in the mid-range in Rule of Law and Participation. It is amongst the world’s top 25 per cent with regard to several factors. Over the last five years, it has suffered declines in Civil Liberties, Freedom of the Press, Effective Parliament and Access to Justice, although all remain within the mid to high range. It has not experienced any advances in the same time period. Economically, the Republic of Korea is notable for its rapid rise from relative poverty to significant wealth; today, it is known for its robust car manufacturing, electronics, and semiconductor industries. South Korea has some of the fastest Internet speeds in the world and ranks highly on the Human Development Index (HDI).
Until the Second World War, the Korean peninsula was a single, united country. As a result of the Korean War, the peninsula was divided in two, with the North and South existing under the spheres of influence of the Soviet Union and the United States, respectively. South Korea was governed by an authoritarian regime until nationwide protests in June of 1987 initiated a process of democratization and political liberalization. Since then, the country has experienced multiple successful transfers of power. Perhaps none has been more notable than the 2017 impeachment and removal from office of then-President Park Geun-hye. Today, the Republic of Korea’s politics are increasingly driven by polarization, as societal divisions along the conservative-progressive dimension widen; this is further fueled by the existing dominance of only two major parties. The main opposition's victory in the 2024 parliamentary election, which saw strong voter turnout, suggests that the government will remain divided along conservative and progressive lines.
South Korea ranks poorly on global rankings of gender parity and women’s rights, and this is reflected in the large gender pay gap and the relatively poor representation of women in politics. Furthermore, discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people and foreigners has been regularly documented. South Koreans also exhibit large age and regional divides in their voting behavior, and additional domestic issues of contention include the strong powers of the presidency and the presence of a chilling defamation law. Foreign policy issues loom particularly large, given the historic and contemporary tensions with North Korea and the long-term policy goal of reunification; South Korean policy towards achieving this objective has long vacillated between a rapprochement-focused ‘Sunshine Policy’ under left-leaning governments and more realpolitik approaches under conservative ones. The U.S. military also maintains a large presence in South Korea, including multiple bases. Finally, relations with Japan have long been challenging, primarily over the settlement of disputes as a result of Imperial Japan’s colonial rule, such as “comfort women”.
Looking ahead, the persistent presence of political polarization and sharp divides between the two main political parties will be important to watch. Actions taken by the Kim regime in the DPRK over the coming years may also adversely impact the South. Finally, South Korea has the world’s lowest fertility rate and one of the fastest aging populations, two trends which will pose issues for the country’s economy in the years ahead. Further declines in Freedom of the Press, driven by pressures from government and business interests, also warrant close attention. The South Korean government has also taken steps in recent years to take a more leading role on the international stage, including agreeing to host the third Summit for Democracy in 2024.
Last Updated: June 2024
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April 2024
Parliamentary election delivers landslide victory for opposition
South Korea’s parliamentary election on 10 April delivered a landslide victory to the opposition Democratic Party and its satellite party [political entities aligned with major political parties], securing 175 of the 300 National Assembly (NA) seats but falling just short of a supermajority. The ruling conservative People Power Party and its satellite party won 108 seats. Voter turnout was estimated at 67 per cent (0.8 percentage increase from the last 2020 election), the highest on record for a parliamentary election according to the National Election Commission. According to media reports, a record 36 female lawmakers were elected to the NA seats, up from 29 in 2020.
Sources: The Korea Times, National Election Commission of the Republic of Korea, CSIS, BBC News
March 2024
Thousands of striking doctors face license suspensions
On 4 March, the South Korean government announced it would move to suspend the licenses of thousands of doctors who had engaged in walkouts and protests over plans to reform the healthcare system. The government had issued warnings previously. The doctors have been on strike since 20 February and are protesting plans to increase medical school admissions by 2000 starting next year, which they say will compromise the quality of education and income and fail to address the root cause of underinvestment in essential health services. The government maintains that the plan will address a shortage of doctors, while critics note that authorities should instead focus on improving working conditions. According to media reports, the walkouts have caused disruptions to scheduled surgeries and medical procedures, with the government deploying military physicians to affected hospitals.
On 8 July, the government announced it would abandon its plan to suspend the licenses of striking junior doctors. Only a few doctors have returned to work since the protests began in March.
Note: This report was updated on 28 August to take note of the announcement made in July.
Sources: Reuters, The Korea Herald (1), The Korea Herald (2), The New York Times, The Korea Times, Associated Press
January 2024
Knife attack on opposition leader raises security concerns
South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) was stabbed in the neck at a political event on 2 January in Busan. Lee sustained serious injuries, with the assailant quickly apprehended at the scene. The motive behind the attack was reportedly to prevent Lee from becoming president, amid a grudge that Lee was “not properly punished” in relation to delayed corruption charges. The incident occurs mere months before South Korea’s general election set for 10 April in which the DPK’s parliamentary majority is at stake. In subsequent weeks, lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin of the People Power Party was struck in the back of the head with a rock in Seoul. President Yoon Suk Yeol denounced the attacks as a threat to democracy and called for increased protection for politicians.
Sources: The Korean Herald (1), The New York Times, The Washington post, Anadolu Agency, The Korea Herald (2)
February 2023
Court recognizes same-sex partners for first time
A high court on 21 February 2023 ordered the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) to provide spousal coverage to same-sex couples, marking the first time a court has legally recognized social benefits for same-sex couples in South Korea. The ruling overturned a lower court ruling in January 2022 that declined to recognize the same-sex couples as common law spouses. While hailed as a leap forward in expanding LGBTQIA+ rights, significant barriers remain, with one of the petitioning partners noting that "The right we've obtained is 1 out of 1,000 that a [heterosexual] married couple has had." Despite its narrow reach, rights activists remain hopeful that the verdict will establish a precedent for enabling future rulings based on the same principles of equality and non-discrimination. NHIS plans to challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court.
South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled on 18 July that same-sex couples are eligible to receive the same health insurance benefits as heterosexual couples. The ruling cannot be appealed and has been welcomed by rights experts.
Note: This report was updated on 27 July to take note of the ruling of the Supreme Court.
Sources: The Korea Herald, Reuters, Human Rights Watch, NPR
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