South Koreans will be able to cast their vote this Wednesday to elect the representatives of the next Parliament. These key elections will serve as a plebiscite for conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, elected by a narrow margin in 2022, who will try with his party to regain control of Parliament, in the hands of the opposition since 2016.
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By Jelena Tomic
These elections in South Korea are being held in a tense socioeconomic context marked by the reduction of democratic space.
The campaign was dotted with infighting, scandals and controversies involving the first lady and Yoon administration officials, and the opposition leader, the target of accusations of corruption and bribery.
It was like a “gladiator arena,” as the press described it. This gives an idea of the atmosphere and divisions that reign in the political class, especially between President Yoon and his rival, opposition leader Lee Jae-myung. These legislative elections are more a duel between these two figures and their style of government than a question of programs, according to experts.
A campaign far removed from the concerns of the electorate, who will vote as a sign of protest rather than support, according to some observers. South Koreans face many difficulties. An economy in recession, inflation, rising real estate prices, an aging population, a plummeting birth rate – one of the lowest in the world – and growing concerns regarding security and regional threats.
The crucial issue of Seoul's policy toward North Korea, which is believed to possess nuclear weapons, was completely absent from the campaign.
A fragile democracy
In the last two years, South Korean democracy has suffered significant setbacks, starting with freedom of the press. South Korean media is generally free, but some have resorted to self-censorship to avoid defamation lawsuits. Journalists critical of the government have been raided or prosecuted. A radio station that exposed corruption scandals was forced to close.
The judiciary, also generally independent, has suffered pressure from the authorities and some judges have been implicated in corruption cases. In recent years there has also been a wave of investigations and prosecutions of opponents.
The numbers speak for themselves: since Yoon came to power, South Korea has fallen from twenty-eighth to forty-seventh place in a ranking of 179 countries published by V-Dem, a Swedish institute that measures the degree of democracy in the world. .
Among the other issues at stake in these parliamentary elections, foreign policy occupies an important place. The results of these elections will determine whether Yoon's policy will be one of continuity, with a continued rapprochement with Tokyo and Washington, or, in the event of a landslide victory for the opposition, a break with the past. Specifically, the Democratic Party could pave the way for Parliament to impeach the President, while advocating for a more balanced international policy.
