Evaluating South Korea’s Mixed Legislative System: A Cross-National Analysis of District Competition

Does South Korea’s mixed legislative system create unique outcomes compared to other mixed systems? For example, a cursory view suggests most mixed systems see a multitude of parties, whereas South Korea’s mixed system appears to have produced a reduction in parties. Through a greater cross-national comparison of district level elections in mixed systems, this analysis finds limited evidence suggestive of a Korean or even a East Asian divergence within district elections. Ultimately this analysis highlights the role of institutional variation within mixed systems and the limits of country-specific or cultural arguments.