South Korea in 2011: Domestic Politics, the Economy and Social Issues

Abstract

Compared to preceding years, 2011 was a relatively quiet year in the Republic of Korea (ROK—South Korea) in terms of domestic politics and the economy. While domestic politics in South Korea are often not pretty, democracy as such is stable in the ROK, which is no small feat in a region in which there are only three other firmly established democracies: India, Japan and Taiwan. While many in South Korea rightly bemoan increased social inequality and job insecurity as well as rising housing prices and education-related expenses plus growing living costs in general, it is also true that South Korea is beginning to catch up with Japan in terms of per capita income and is also doing well more broadly in macro-economic terms. South Korea is the world’s fifth largest producer of nuclear energy, which accounts for 36 percent of the ROK’s electric power output. Keywords:domestic politics; nuclear energy; Republic of Korea (ROK) economy; social issues; South Korea