3rd Highest Response After US and Netherlands
Half of Koreans 'Dissatisfied' with Democracy in Their Country
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] A survey revealed that more than 7 out of 10 South Koreans perceive that social networking services (SNS) have intensified political polarization.
The U.S.-based Pew Research Center announced on the 6th (local time) that a survey on SNS, the internet, and democracy conducted among citizens of 19 countries including South Korea, the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom showed these results.
According to the survey, about 77% of South Koreans responded that "SNS is deepening political polarization." This is the third highest figure among the 19 surveyed countries, following the United States (79%) and the Netherlands (78%). The overall average response rate was 65%.
The Pew Research Center analyzed, "In South Korea and the United States, conflicts based on party affiliation frequently occur," and "Overall, in such cases, the perception that SNS deepens political polarization is stronger."
About 57% of respondents from the 19 countries answered that "SNS has a positive impact on their country's democracy," while 35% responded that it has a negative impact.
The country that evaluated the impact of SNS on democracy most positively was Singapore (76%), and the country that evaluated it most negatively was the United States (64%). In South Korea, 61% answered positively, about twice the 32% who said it had a "negative impact."
Regarding satisfaction with their country's current democratic system, 50% of South Koreans answered "satisfied," and 49% answered "dissatisfied." The country with the highest satisfaction was Sweden (79%), and the country with the lowest satisfaction was Spain (31%).
When asked to what extent their opinions are reflected in the political system, 53% of South Korean respondents answered "not at all or not much reflected." The response that "their opinions are reflected" was 45%. This is higher than the 19-country average, where 65% answered that their opinions are "not reflected."
This survey was conducted from February to June of this year through telephone, interviews, and online questionnaires, targeting 3,581 adults in the United States and 20,944 adults outside the United States, including South Korea.
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