The discursive topography of the media on ‘democracy and growth’ after democratization

Abstract

This article will analyze the shape and the discursive terrain formed on the ‘relationship between democracy and growth’ in the media field after democratization in Korea. In addition, it will be to compare and verify the path dependence of the discourse on growth paradigm stipulated in each media company between the progressive and conservative governments. The results are as follows. First, JoongAng Ilbo's discourse on 'democracy and growth' during the progressive government is the epitome of neoliberalism, which puts the value of corporate activities first and ordered a small government that minimizes regulation and interference. Also, it was found that the Hankyoreh's discourse on 'democracy and growth' during this period mainly criticized polarization and neoliberalism. Second, it was confirmed that the JoongAng Ilbo’s discourse on ‘democracy and growth’ during the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye regime implemented a perpetuation strategy that glorified and rationalized the dictatorship. In contrast, the Hankyoreh newspaper's discourse on 'democracy and growth' during this period directly contradicted the logic of Park Chung-hee's re-evaluation, which had appeared in the conservative media and civil society since the previous period. In conclusion, the positioning of the two newspapers, showing the opposite practice about growth paradigm discourse, which occupies a firm dominant position in our society, explicitly reveals the spatiality as a public domain where historical reality and ideological value orientation collide.