Is Confucius leaving Korea? Political changes and challenges after the general elections

Abstract

impeachment motion on May 15, 2004 President Roh stressed that the newly elected lawmakers would have to take ‘‘the lead in the reform’’. The impeachment drama and the general elections revealed remaining shortcomings of the political institutions, for example, the strong position of the president, the frequent exchange of cabinet ministers, a dysfunctional parliament, the structure of parties lacking clear political, more ideologybased programs, social inclusiveness and continuity. Many important issues – except the motion of impeachment against President Rohwere not discussed explicitly during the election campaign. Although the voters are aware of the parties’ differing ‘ideological’ positions, the two main parties, Uri Party and Grand National Party (GNP), have similar responses to certain issues. Moreover, strong clientelism and regional antagonism are evidence of institutional weaknesses. Regarding these democratic shortcomings a reform of the parliament and the political parties is a pressing issue. The 17th general elections were in a sense groundbreaking since they yielded to important changes but they also revealed remaining, in particular, political-institutional and structural deficits. Koreans voted with 38.3% and 35.8% of the seats for the Uri Party and the Grand National Party (GNP) respectively, for a rather moderate parliament which has certainly the potential to achieve reforms but which also needs to be reformed itself. The government camp is rooted in the moderate liberal democratic movement whereas the conservatives rely on traditional values and models from the past. However, the conservative party adapted to changes in society and has taken a more moderate stance with regard to the policy towards North Korea, conscientious objectors and the discriminatory patriarchal family head system. What are the changes the recent general elections have brought with? For the first time, the National Assembly is dominated by the post–Korean war generation representing the demographic majority of the country. However, the gap between the generations has further widened. The generational cleavage not only influences every-day politics but also affects family life. Most of the young voters are free from religious restraints and have no classdetermined ideology. Sixty percent of them have positive associations with the term ‘‘progressive’’, like ‘‘change, innovation, development’’, while forty Is Confucius leaving Korea? Political changes and challenges after the general elections