Satisfaction with democracy South Korea 2018-2022

According to a survey conducted in South Korea in 2022, respondents rated satisfaction with the functioning of democracy in South Korea at 5.8 out of 10 index points. This was a slight decrease compared to 6.2 in the previous year. The majority of respondents were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with the way democracy worked in South Korea. 

Active political participation but less trust

Political participation, an important element of democracy, is active in South Korea. In 2023, about 66 percent of respondents said they had engaged in conversations about political issues, and around 11 percent said they had participated in signature campaigns. In addition, voter turnout in presidential elections has increased since 2007, recording 77 percent in the last two elections. At the same time, people have relatively less trust in politics. The National Assembly was ranked as the least trusted of all the institutions, and only 50 percent of people said they were confident or somewhat confident in the ability of the central government to do its job.  

Political party and polarization

Political parties have become more polarized. The phenomenon of people being divided into two sides based on public policies and social issues has gradually intensified, bringing social conflicts to a head. Among citizens who were members of a political party, over 85 percent were in either the Democratic Party or the People Power Party in 2022. Over 80 percent of people perceived the conflict between conservatives and progressives to be serious, while around two percent of people thought it was not serious at all.