How Election Laws Hurt South Korea's Democracy

What is it about?

South Korea has highly restrictive laws on election campaigning. These laws stand in strong contrast to the lively political discussion that occurs in this democracy. The restrictions have their origins in South Korea's authoritarian period. Even as the country democratized, they remained largely in place. Politicians, judges, and elections officials supported their continuation. The laws make it difficult for activists and communities leaders to reach out to supporters during elections.

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Why is it important?

The piece sheds light on an aspect of democracy that is often bypassed in studies of democratization. Legal frameworks governing elections can be missed by observers of democratic transformation. In contexts such as South Korea's, these frameworks have major implications for political struggle and for the exercise of democracy.