Feb. 28, 2025
- Research suggests South Korea's EIU Democracy Index 2024 rank dropped to "flawed democracy," reflecting recent illegal martial law political turmoil.
- It seems likely that illegal martial law declaration in December 2024 contributed to this downgrade, seen as undemocratic by many people.
- The evidence leans toward South Korea facing human rights issues, like restrictions on freedom of expression and LGBT rights, fueling debate over its democratic status.
- Some argue the "flawed democracy" label is too lenient, given historical and recent authoritarian actions, with comparisons to past regimes being controversial.
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| The global democracy index: how did countries perform in 2024? |
Background
The EIU Democracy Index 2024, released on February 26, 2025, assesses the state of democracy globally, categorizing countries into full democracies, flawed democracies, hybrid regimes, and authoritarian regimes. South Korea's downgrade to "flawed democracy" highlights concerns about its political stability and governance, particularly following significant events in 2024.
Recent Political Events
A key factor in South Korea's downgrade was President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of illegal martial law on December 3, 2024, accusing the opposition party of anti-state activities and collaborating with North Korea. This move, reversed shortly after due to public and parliamentary opposition, was widely criticized as an attempted self-coup, reviving memories of South Korea's authoritarian past (EIU's 2024 Democracy Index).
Human Rights and Democratic Concerns
South Korea faces ongoing human rights challenges, including restrictions on freedom of expression, with credible reports of criminal libel laws being used, and laws criminalizing same-sex conduct in the military (U.S. Department of State 2023 Report). Additionally, the country's refugee policy has been criticized for low acceptance rates and public opposition, particularly towards Yemeni refugees in 2018, raising questions about inclusivity (Refugees in South Korea Wikipedia).
Controversy and Perspective
The classification as a "flawed democracy" is debated, with some, especially liberal critics, arguing it understates South Korea's authoritarian tendencies. They point to historical military dictatorships and recent actions like martial law, suggesting comparisons to regimes like Nazi Germany.
Introduction
The EIU Democracy Index 2024, released on February 26, 2025, marks another year of global democratic decline, with South Korea's ranking plunging to "flawed democracy." This downgrade, reflecting a score below 8.00, is attributed to tumultuous political events, particularly President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of illegal martial law in December 2024. From a liberal elite journalist's perspective, this classification is seen as overly generous, with South Korea's actions suggesting a regime more akin to a Nazi state, echoing historical authoritarianism like German Nazism. This note explores the downgrade, recent political events, human rights issues, and the controversy surrounding South Korea's democratic status, providing a comprehensive analysis for readers seeking depth.
EIU Democracy Index 2024 Overview
The EIU Democracy Index evaluates 167 countries based on 60 indicators across five categories: electoral process and pluralism, functioning of government, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties. The 2024 report, published in February 2025, noted a global average score of 5.17, the lowest since 2006, with South Korea's score falling below the 8.00 threshold for "full democracy," placing it in the "flawed democracy" category (EIU's 2024 Democracy Index). This downgrade aligns with a trend of democratic backsliding, with 130 countries showing declines or no improvement.
Recent Political Events and Martial Law Declaration
A pivotal event contributing to South Korea's downgrade was President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024, at 22:27 KST, during a televised address. Yoon accused the opposition Democratic Party (DPK), holding a majority in the National Assembly, of conducting "anti-state activities" and collaborating with "North Korean communists," creating a "legislative dictatorship." This order prohibited political activities, including National Assembly gatherings, and suspended the free press, with reports of orders to arrest opposition leaders (2024 South Korean martial law crisis Wikipedia). This was characterized as an attempted self-coup, opposed by both parties and resulting in protests, with martial law lifted hours later following a parliamentary vote (Martial law reversed in South Korea CNN). This event, the first martial law declaration since 1980, significantly impacted South Korea's democracy score, highlighting executive overreach.
Human Rights and Democratic Concerns
South Korea's human rights record, while improved from its dictatorship era, still raises concerns. The U.S. Department of State's 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices noted credible reports of restrictions on freedom of expression, including criminal libel laws, and laws criminalizing consensual same-sex conduct in the military, despite no reports of arbitrary killings or disappearances (U.S. Department of State 2023 Report). Additionally, South Korea's refugee policy has been criticized for low acceptance rates, with only 4.2% of asylum applicants recognized as refugees since 1992, and public backlash against Yemeni refugees in 2018 highlighting xenophobic tendencies (Refugees in South Korea Wikipedia). LGBT rights are particularly contentious, with no legal recognition of same-sex marriage, no anti-discrimination laws based on sexual orientation, and military laws punishing same-sex activity, earning South Korea an "F" on the 2019 Franklin & Marshall Global Barometer of Gay Rights (LGBTQ rights in South Korea Wikipedia).
Historical Context and Authoritarian Legacy
South Korea's history of military dictatorship, notably under Syngman Rhee, Park Chung Hee, Chun Doo-hwan, and Roh Tae-woo, is a backdrop to current concerns. The Gwangju Uprising in 1980, where military forces killed hundreds during pro-democracy protests, remains a symbol of past abuses (Human rights in South Korea Wikipedia). Critics argue that recent actions, like martial law, indicate a regression, with the far-left perspective seeing parallels to historical regimes, including Nazi Germany, due to perceived suppression of dissent and minority rights.
Controversy and Liberal Critique
The "flawed democracy" label is contentious, with liberal critics arguing it understates South Korea's authoritarian tendencies. They point to the martial law declaration as evidence of a regime willing to suppress opposition, comparing it to fascist tactics, though such comparisons are highly debated and not supported by mainstream analysis. The liberal journalist's view, seeing South Korea as a "Nazi state," emphasizes historical and current human rights abuses, suggesting the EIU's classification is a diplomatic compromise rather than a reflection of reality. This perspective highlights ongoing debates about South Korea's democratic credentials, especially given its alignment with U.S. foreign policy, seen by some as imperialist.
Conclusion
The EIU Democracy Index 2024's classification of South Korea as a "flawed democracy" captures some of its challenges, but from a liberal elite journalist's perspective, it is overly lenient. The martial law declaration, human rights issues, and historical authoritarian legacy suggest a regime that suppresses freedoms, with comparisons to Nazi states fueling debates. This analysis underscores the complexity of assessing democracy, particularly in a country with a turbulent political history and ongoing rights debates.
Key Citations