Climate change co-sponsorship networks in South Korea: focusing on formal and informal ties of legislators

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study analyzes the formation of climate change co-sponsorship networks among South Korean legislators from the 18th to the 20th National Assembly and provides a comprehensive understanding of the interdependent co-sponsorship behaviour to address climate change at the domestic level. Legislators’ formal ties are defined by their political party membership whereas informal ties are defined by other shared characteristics such as re-election status as well as regional (jiyon) and education-based (hakyon) ties. While it has been commonly viewed that Korean climate politics did not experience major conflicts between political parties, this study observes that Korean legislators demonstrate strong party homophily in their climate change co-sponsorship networks. This study also finds that rational legislators are influenced by their informal social relations. More experienced legislators tend to be less engaged in co-sponsorship activities and legislators from the politically sensitive regions are more likely to form co-sponsorship ties among themselves.