Democratization and Changing Voting Behavior: A Case Study of Korea

This study is an attempt to examine how the tr떠ectories of democratic consolidation constrain economic voting, an instrument of democratic accountability, in new democracies. Analyzing five post-election surveys of Korea, the present research shows Korean voters are sociotropic, rather an egotropic. Furthermore, Korean voters are more likely to be driven by economic expectation of national economy, rather than by retrospective evaluation. Economic prosperity under authoritarian regimes and unstable po1itical party systems, which demur the identification of targets to blame or to reward at the ballot box, lead to prospective economic v ng. Lastly, pre-modem region-alism dOIIÚnates electoral politics even after a decade of democratization, wruch weakens the strength of economic voting. Trus study concludes lat economic voting in new democracies does not simply Ïncrease as a new democratic regime is consolidated. The path of democratic transition and consolidation determines the pattems of economic voting.