Features of South Korea’s Current Development Stage: Growing Pains or Systemic Crisis?

The article attempts to analyze new developments in the domestic situation in the Republic of Korea. Former President Yun Suk Yeol’s decision to impose martial law, its repeal, and the subsequent removal of the head of state from office led to a protracted political crisis, the consequences of which have not yet been fully overcome. The reckless actions of the former head of state and the response from his opponents revealed a number of hidden contradictions that had been latently accumulating in society for a long time, but which suddenly burst out in critical conditions. The fragility and instability of the South Korean political system are most often explained by the traditions of extreme intolerance in national politics, cultivating hostility between opposing forces, the absence of a tradition of compromise, as well as the excessive concentration of power in the hands of the President, with the weakness of other democratic institutions. The latent potential for discontent in South Korean society remains very high, due to the accumulation of socio-economic problems: slowing growth rates, worsening demographic situation, and deepening economic inequality. Given the strong influence of the lingering legacy of the past, South Korea has not been immune to the threat of an authoritarianism revival. At least among some of the elites, and even at the lower levels of society, there remains a considerable demand for political developments and practices from the times of military regimes. Despite a landslide election victory, new President Lee Jae Myung is struggling to balance various social forces in a highly polarized political environment. A new program of promising reforms and innovations is outlined. However, the President will have to advance his plans under unfavorable conditions, with the external environment becoming less friendly and comfortable, and the internal environment still unpredictable and explosive.