Can Democracy Survive in South Korea?

The retreat of democracy has become a global phenomenon. Korea is no exception to the regression of democracy. Democracy can be defined as popular control over public decision-making procedure and equality between citizens in the exercise of that control. I explain that the current crisis represents the re-emergence of a certain pattern in South Korean politics, which oscillates between two extremes of technocratic ruling and populist resistance. Democracy is a narrow path of possibility that requires our patience between technocracy monopolizing power by the reason of minority and populism usurping power by will of the majority. Since the failed declaration of martial law in December 2024, Korean democracy currently appears to be in a phase where populist resistance has returned, which is both a blessing and a limitation in Korean politics. For democracy to survive from the long-term perspective, two factors are important: institutional design to reflect people’s will and the role of citizens within th at design. A lth ough I s upport a m ixed g overnment system th at i ntegrates representation, deliberation, and participation, institutional change is not easy because of path dependency. Accordingly, the role of citizens who have epistemological and emotional capabilities becomes a more important variable out of the narrow path between populism and technocracy.