Min Seong-jae (smin@pace.edu) is a professor of communication and media studies at Pace University in New York. He was a 2023-24 Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Korea.
Elections and voter turnout
Korea's general elections to choose parliamentary representatives are just ahead.
The sentiment surrounding this year’s elections is red-hot with major issues such as doctors’ strikes hanging in the balance. Many also consider the elections as a midterm referendum on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration, which is the target of mounting criticism. And that’s why a high voter turnout is expected for the elections. Early and overseas voting already reached a record high number, according to the National Election Commission of Korea.
Korea has transitioned from the authoritarian rule of the 1980s to become recognized as an advanced democracy. This status is defined by the nation's adherence to regular and free elections, a strong rule of law, and a dynamic civil society. And unlike other advanced democracies, Korea still boasts high voter turnouts in elections. Many Western democracies and member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) suffer from decreasing voter turnouts and a lack of political participation by citizens. Korea is a dynamic country and perhaps still quite young in its democratic advancement, and that’s why voter turnout reached 80 percent in recent presidential elections, even when voting is not mandatory.
But there are growing signs of concern in terms of voter turnout and general political participation in Korea.
Similar to other advanced democracies, Korea is experiencing a decline in voter turnout among the younger population. In the 2020 general elections, voter turnout among 19 to 39-year-olds was about 59.8 percent whereas the number for 60 to 79 year-olds was 79.4 percent, according to data from the election commission. In the 2022 local elections, voter turnout among the younger demographic was just 36.1 percent , which is approximately half of the voter turnout rate among individuals aged 60 to 79, standing at 72.6percent .
The conventional wisdom in many advanced democracies is that young people tend to vote less frequently compared to older demographics. It can also be argued that voting isn’t necessarily the ultimate form of political participation and democracy. Volunteering for social causes and civic organizations, leading and joining social movements, expression of political opinions on the streets and online forums are all valid forms of democratic engagement and may deliver even stronger impact on society than conventional voting. And young people are good at such activities, especially the digital savvy Korean ones. They utilize digital tools to participate in politics and cultivate a unique form of civic engagement.
But in modern representative democracies, elections do matter, especially for young people. Many aspects of young people’s everyday lives, from education to jobs, and to marriage, will be heavily influenced by the policies of the leaders they choose. There is also a limit on what you can do using online and social media. Ultimately, the vast majority of online political participation consists of individualized expressions that appear to have a minimal impact on political outcomes.
When I talk to my students, I often hear that they do not vote due to their disillusionment with Korean politics. This sentiment is understandable, as the majority of politicians are from older generations, who often engage in factional and tribal conflicts. The policies and political campaigns they aim for are also heavily aimed at older people who are very highly likely to turn out to vote. Young people do not vote, not because they are busy or lazy, but because they do not have politicians or policies that they can identify with, and they feel unrepresented.
But precisely because young people feel unrepresented, they need to vote even more. They should demonstrate to the world that they have ownership over both politics and their own lives. That’s how a vibrant democracy works.
I hope for a record-high voter turnout in this year’s elections, especially among young voters.
Min Seong-jae (smin@pace.edu) is a professor of communication and media studies at Pace University in New York City. He is a 2023–24 Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Korea.