Democratic Transition and the Consolidation of Democracy in South Korea

Abstract

This article discusses the negative effects that the path to democratic transition in South Korea had on the nation’s consolidation of democracy. Unlike previous studies which argue that negotiating pacts among elites is the most successful formula for democratic transition, the South Korean case shows that a smooth democratic transition through a political pact became an important factor for the institutionalization of democratic rules and procedures. By focusing on the undemocratic experience of the Kim Young Sam civil government, the essay posits that the failure of Kim's government essentially resulted from structural problems in the process of democratic transition, as well as from Kim's leadership style.