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Lessons from contemporary US politics for Korea

33 1
07.10.2024

Lee Jong-eun

Many parts of the world have been closely following this year's U.S. presidential election. Amid surprises and anxieties, international observers have followed a series of dramatic events, such as assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris replacing President Joe Biden as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, keeping the race unpredictable and competitive.

Korea is among the countries watching the U.S. election results with keen interest. A primary reason for this attention is the significant impact the next U.S. president will have on the geopolitics of the Korean Peninsula. Another reason is that Korean politics have long looked toward the United States as a political model.

South Korea's first president, Syngman Rhee, rejected proposals for a European-style parliamentary system, instead pushing for the adoption of an American-style presidential system. Korea has frequently debated adopting multiple features of the U.S. political system, such as two-term presidency, to strengthen Korea's political democracy. For many Korean citizens who are critical of their country's politics, U.S. politics has often been perceived as having greater stability, pragmatism and accountability.

Yet, this year's presidential election has shown that similar to multiple contemporary democracies, the U.S. political system also experiences significant political challenges. What lessons, then, can Korea draw from observing the current state of U.S. politics?

Some aspects of contemporary U.S. politics are less applicable to Korea. Certain social issues that........

© The Korea Times


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