The liberal-democratic ephemera that was South Korea
The illusion of South Korea as a liberal-democratic beacon justified decades of alliance investment. Clinging to it (or even democracy in America) is getting more difficult.
As the Trump Administration sends in troops against the wishes of the Governor of California to quell riots and near-daily ICE raids rock American cities, it’s hardly becoming to point out challenges to democracy anywhere else in the world - let alone South Korea.
After all, common knowledge has it that an authoritarian takeover was avoided by the power of the people, the president was impeached, and the presumptive protest leader became president. South Korea lived up to its reputation.
For years, South Korea has been marketed in Washington as a liberal-democratic beacon in East Asia—a dependable ally, a model democracy, a society committed to human rights and rule of law.
This flattering narrative has become an article of faith across the American political spectrum. Hawks and doves alike point to Korea as proof that economic development leads to democratic governance - and sustained strategic alignment with the U.S. is the natural outcome.
What if this image was just an illusion seen through liberal-democratic tinted glasses? What if beneath the surface, South Korea was far from the liberal-democratic beacon in East Asia taken for granted? What if America never cared about South Korea’s democracy in the first place?
South Korea’s politics are highly polarized. Both accuse the other of seeking authoritarian rule. The scary thing is, both may be right.