Comments on: The Maturing of Korean Democracy http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/ Korea... in Blog Format Wed, 3 Dec 2008 00:18:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Andy Jackson http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81933 Andy Jackson Tue, 15 May 2007 23:10:56 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81933 Orankay, thanks for the information, although I wish I could use it as a proper noun. The "greater capital region" is almost as ungainly as "Seoul-Incheon-Gyeonggido." Orankay, thanks for the information, although I wish I could use it as a proper noun. The “greater capital region” is almost as ungainly as “Seoul-Incheon-Gyeonggido.”

]]> By: Sonagi http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81930 Sonagi Tue, 15 May 2007 21:53:23 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81930 If the wording had been positive in Korean, Japanese, and Chinese, then that same wording would probably have been kept in English. There would have been no reason to change it. Unless we see the original wording, we can only speculate. If the wording had been positive in Korean, Japanese, and Chinese, then that same wording would probably have been kept in English. There would have been no reason to change it. Unless we see the original wording, we can only speculate.

]]> By: wjk http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81929 wjk Tue, 15 May 2007 21:49:13 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81929 sonagi, highly unlikely. Polls were probably done in native tongue. sonagi, highly unlikely. Polls were probably done in native tongue.

]]> By: Sonagi http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81928 Sonagi Tue, 15 May 2007 21:27:44 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81928 <i>"88 percent of South Koreans disagreed with the statement “No opposition party should be allowed to compete for power,” compared with 67 percent in Japan, and 73 percent in Taiwan and Thailand. Why is this number ONLY 67% ? It’s very weird. But explains the trend."</i> It's the wording that's weird, at least in English. Negatively worded statements like that one can confuse respondents and yield misleading results. “88 percent of South Koreans disagreed with the statement “No opposition party should be allowed to compete for power,” compared with 67 percent in Japan, and 73 percent in Taiwan and Thailand.

Why is this number ONLY 67% ?

It’s very weird. But explains the trend.”

It’s the wording that’s weird, at least in English. Negatively worded statements like that one can confuse respondents and yield misleading results.

]]> By: oranckay http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81927 oranckay Tue, 15 May 2007 18:28:16 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81927 . . "Sudogwon" is not a proper noun. I propose it be translated as the "greater Seoul region" or "(greater) capital region." .
.
“Sudogwon” is not a proper noun. I propose it be translated as the “greater Seoul region” or “(greater) capital region.”

]]> By: ziffel http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81912 ziffel Tue, 15 May 2007 07:30:15 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81912 I too have some qualms about these glib statements: "Commentators now say that the country is well on its way to becoming one of Asia's most mature liberal democracies, with one of the few fairly stable two-party systems in the region (even Japan is effectively a one-party state)." Not sure who these unnamed "commentators" are, but in any case, to follow-up this logic later in the article, they assert: "Opinion polls show fairly consistent and broad support for a left-of-center coalition to oppose the GNP, meaning that even if the Uri Party collapses, a similar organization would soon take its place." Because opinion polls suggest one thing, a natural, spontaneous political re-ordering will soon emerge to conform to it? Here? In Korea? In a presidential election year? And were on the cusp of a stable two-party system wherein the politics of dominant personas is, or soon will be, just a faded memory of the 3 Kims era? Yeah, right, pass the crack pipe, dudes... These authors make a number of good points, not least of which is Roh's inadvertant contrbution to a less authoritative presidency, and they're essentially correct about the continual maturing of Korea's democracy. But I think they're a little naively premature if they think we've "arrived," or thereabouts. Maybe there's a reason why the by-line doesn't indicate they're in Seoul. I too have some qualms about these glib statements:

“Commentators now say that the country is well on its way to becoming one of Asia’s most mature liberal democracies, with one of the few fairly stable two-party systems in the region (even Japan is effectively a one-party state).”

Not sure who these unnamed “commentators” are, but in any case, to follow-up this logic later in the article, they assert:

“Opinion polls show fairly consistent and broad support for a left-of-center coalition to oppose the GNP, meaning that even if the Uri Party collapses, a similar organization would soon take its place.”

Because opinion polls suggest one thing, a natural, spontaneous political re-ordering will soon emerge to conform to it? Here? In Korea? In a presidential election year?

And were on the cusp of a stable two-party system wherein the politics of dominant personas is, or soon will be, just a faded memory of the 3 Kims era? Yeah, right, pass the crack pipe, dudes…

These authors make a number of good points, not least of which is Roh’s inadvertant contrbution to a less authoritative presidency, and they’re essentially correct about the continual maturing of Korea’s democracy.

But I think they’re a little naively premature if they think we’ve “arrived,” or thereabouts.

Maybe there’s a reason why the by-line doesn’t indicate they’re in Seoul.

]]> By: mins0306 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81911 mins0306 Tue, 15 May 2007 07:18:02 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81911 Korean democracy hasn't matured yet. But, judging from Lee Myung-bak's recent concession on how the primaries should be carried out, we're getting there. Korean democracy hasn’t matured yet. But, judging from Lee Myung-bak’s recent concession on how the primaries should be carried out, we’re getting there.

]]> By: iheartblueballs http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81909 iheartblueballs Tue, 15 May 2007 07:05:32 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81909 I swear I just saw the words "mature" and "Korea" in the same sentence. Must've wandered into Bizarro World. I swear I just saw the words “mature” and “Korea” in the same sentence. Must’ve wandered into Bizarro World.

]]> By: ZZOOzzoo http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81905 ZZOOzzoo Tue, 15 May 2007 05:11:50 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81905 ^ By LDP I meant DLP. Gah. ^ By LDP I meant DLP. Gah.

]]> By: ZZOOzzoo http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81904 ZZOOzzoo Tue, 15 May 2007 05:07:13 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/05/15/the-maturing-of-korean-democracy/#comment-81904 Uri has been torn to pieces, GNP is on the brink of breaking-up (though Lee's "concession" of the primary rules kind of prevented it for now), Sohn is about to form a new party, and LDP, like a cockroach, is resilient as ever. I really don't see the dawning of "two-party era" in Korea, nor do I think having two major left/right parties would be particularly beneficial to Korean politics. Uri has been torn to pieces, GNP is on the brink of breaking-up (though Lee’s “concession” of the primary rules kind of prevented it for now), Sohn is about to form a new party, and LDP, like a cockroach, is resilient as ever.

I really don’t see the dawning of “two-party era” in Korea, nor do I think having two major left/right parties would be particularly beneficial to Korean politics.

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