POLITICAL CULTURE AND TRANSFORMATION OF THE PARTY SYSTEM OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Keywords:
South Korea, democratization, political culture, party system, authoritarianism, civil society, modernization, political transformation.Abstract
This article analyzes the evolution of political culture and the transformation of the party system in the Republic of Korea within the broader context of democratization studies. The research highlights the paradox of South Korea’s political development, where rapid economic modernization under authoritarian regimes created the structural conditions for democratic reforms in the late 1980s. Special attention is given to the historical roots of Korean political culture, including colonial resistance, the establishment of the Provisional Government in 1919, and the influence of civil society movements. The study demonstrates that democratization in South Korea was not a linear process but the result of complex interactions between authoritarian legacies, social mobilization, and institutional reforms. Furthermore, the article examines the instability of the contemporary party system, characterized by weak ideological foundations, frequent party realignments, and populist tendencies. The South Korean case is presented as a unique model for comparative political science, illustrating how democracy can emerge through tensions between societal demands for participation and enduring state control.
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