ABSTRACT
Wook Kim deals with the issue of political conflict in Chapter 7, arguing that the landscape of political conflict in South Korea has changed from regional cleavages to ideological and generational divide and confrontation. An analysis of recent voting behavior reveals that the regional divide has become less pronounced in voting, while social and economic issues related to job creation and economic equality have become more important. Kim contends that these changes anchored in ideological and generational divides are more likely to have positive effects on the political process in South Korea, as evidenced by the recent impeachment of President Park Geun-hye through candlelight demonstrations. However, he doubts whether the South Korean political system and its voters are mature enough to handle these newly emerging conflicts.
