Politics and regions in Korea: an analysis of the recent presidential election

Abstract

This paper addresses the nature of regions in Korean politics. Our investigation focuses on ways in which Korean society and the economy are reflected in the political (electoral) process, and how they are embedded in provincialism. We examine three questions: (1) can the concept of regional politics be applied to Korea; (2) in what ways is regional politics contingent upon the mode of production and spheres of consumption; and (3) in what ways is it manifested in the electoral process? We analyze regional data on industrial output, the state's recruitment practice for high government officials, variations in income distribution, and voter turnout in the 1992 and 1987 presidential elections. The findings suggest that Korea's regional politics was cultivated by the interests of the ruling party, which were tied closely to regional economic differentiation; it was not mobilized by grassroots politics. While this provincial favoritism has served the political legitimacy of the ruling party, the very process seemed to reinforce social discontent between regions as well as classes. Provincial favoritism in recent presidential voting was strong in some regions, especially Cholla and Kyungsang. This regional segregation of voting was also complicated by non-provincial votes, such as Seoul, which was more likely associated with voters' economic interests than any provincial favoritism for a presidential candidate. The regional votes seem to be transient and liable to merge into other social and political forces.