Preface

Introduction
The forces that drove Korea toward democracy

Political Culture
Toward a balanced democracy in Korea
Corrupt political culture erodes national competitiveness
The constitutional soul of Koreas democracy
The ideological orientations of Korean voters
Political apathy and electoral politics in Korea
Womens participation in politics

Politics
The dynamics of party politics in Korea
Reform of political parties
Regionalism still holds sway
A turn to the right and political realignment
Long road ahead for progressives in Korea
Problems with state subsidies for political parties
Changes in party-government relations
Blind loyalty dictates voters party support
The ideological affiliations of political parties

Election Culture
A plan of action to increase voter turnout
Negative campaigns are fruitless
Balancing transparency and reality in campaign funding
Electoral systems in Korea
Political participation in the internet era

President
The strengths and weaknesses of government system in Korea
Controversy over presidential term
Creating balanced president-Assembly relations

National Assembly
Changing patterns of lawmaking in Korea
Long road to representation in the Assembly
Causes and consequences of deadlock in the Assembly
Addressing the limits of parliamentary democracy
Abortive experiments in Korean corporatism

Other Institutions
The press: A politicians fair-weather friend
The Constitutional Court: Political or legal?
NGOs: A powerful force for political reform
Interest groups and politics in 21st century
How far has Korea advanced in local autonomy?

Conclusion
Korea on path to mature liberal democracy