Hurdles for VAAs in the Politics of Opacity

Abstract

Voting Advice Applications (VAAs) appeared in Korean politics decade ago but are still at an introductory stage. The last presidential election in 2012 set the stage in a significant way for VAAs as three different types appeared and actually operated during the election process, although they did not have great visibility and a sizable impact on mainstream politics. VAAs may look like simple applications that help voters through a process answering questions and then receiving tips that match the policy preferences of voters with the policies of their candidates or parties. While this is not untrue, the actual developments and uses of the applications can come in various formats, with diverse political and philosophical assumptions behind them. VAAs also directly reflect the conditions and limits of real politics at a given time and in a particular society.