Colloquium in October 2023
Juho Kim (Professor, Department of Sociology, Gyeongsang National University, South Korea)
This study addresses the question of whether populism in South Korea is a mere construct of terminology and discourse, rather than a tangible political phenomenon. If this hypothesis holds true, how can we explain this disjunction?
The argument put forth in this study posits that in Korea, the term “populism” is often applied to phenomena that do not align with a general definition of populism, including instances of “popular-ism.” Furthermore, the study contends that this misapplication of the term may, in part, stem from the political intentions of conservatives who seek to suppress the emergence of progressive policies.
Given these assertions, the study delves into the discourse surrounding “welfare populism” in Korea, which gained momentum in the late 2000s and rapidly expanded in the early 2010s, as well as the political landscape surrounding these welfare discussions. According to the study, Korean conservatives have utilized this misconstrued concept of populism to both diminish the significance of impassioned debates over welfare policies, attributing them to irresponsible political competition, and portray the social demand for expanded welfare as irrational.
To substantiate this argument, the study conducts an analysis of the conceptual networks and logical structures present in the discourse surrounding “welfare populism.” This analysis is based on articles published in conservative Korean newspapers between 2009 and 2018.
