The Challenges of Democratic Consolidation in South Korea: Post-Election Politics of the Lee Myung-bak Administration

• 발행기관: 한국학술연구원
• 저자명: Young Whan Kih
• 간행물 정보: 『Korea Observer』Vol 40, No 2, 233~271쪽, 전체 39쪽
• 주제분류: 사회과학 > 정치외교학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2009.06.30

영문 초록

The essay begins with a brief survey of pathways toward democratization, followed by an analysis of Lee’s leadership performance and crisis management style during the first 200 days of his “CEO Presidency.” It raises the question of “Why Institutions Matter” to politics, by revisiting civil society organizations role, and “Why Social Capital also Matters” for making democracy work in South Korea. Promoting civil society activism is a necessary but insufficient condition for making democracy work. To support this notion the study turns to an analysis of the episode on how “de-legitimization politics” waged by certain civil society groups against the Lee government, during the anti-U.S. beefimport firestorm in the summer months of 2008. The legitimization challenge posed by certain civil society groups may have risked the danger of de-democratization of Korea’s Sixth Republic, as intended by key opposition political forces. Yet, the campaign for de-legitimization of a constitutionally elected Lee Myung-bak Government did not succeed.

목차

Abstact

I. Pathways toward Democratization and “Transformative” Ideas

II. Post-Election Politics of the Lee Myung-bak’s Korea: Reflections on the Lee’s CEO Presidency

III. Lee’s Leadership Performance and Crisis Management Style

IV. Why “Institutions Matter” in Politics?

V. Conclusion: Democratization via De-legitimization Challenges?

References

키워드

Democratization Democratic Consolidation Leadership Performance Civil Society Movement Electoral Democracy Institution-Building Social Capital Legitimization