Democracy Cluster
Research Title
In Search of Democratic Development Policies for Building Sound Governance
Research Topic
-
Over the past three years (April 2022 – June 2025), the Democracy Cluster has worked to explore the conditions and pathways for a paradigm shift in Korean democracy, while also striving to disseminate the outcomes of its research and activities. Its efforts have centered on a broad range of initiatives: from research on the current state of democracy worldwide, to inquiries into the directions and methods for institutional reforms in Korean politics; from the development and implementation of surveys designed to reassess Koreans’ perceptions of democracy, to activities promoting democratic innovations and deepening civic education. In the process, the Cluster has organized numerous academic conferences, seminars, workshops, and lectures, while also engaging actively in international conferences, conducting youth mock elections and democracy perception surveys, and publishing special issues in academic journals.
Looking ahead, the Democracy Cluster aims to build on its achievements and develop more systematic research and activities on timely and important academic and policy themes. In particular, it seeks to identify solutions for revitalizing the public sphere and realizing “good governance” amid a multilayered crisis of democracy characterized by partisan politics and polarization, distrust in political institutions such as parties and the judiciary, distortions in the media ecosystem, and a fragile civil society. More concretely, the Democracy Cluster will pursue research and activities on five key themes. First, three ongoing themes—“Survey on Perceptions of Korean Democracy,” “Reform of Korean Political Institutions,” and “Democratic Innovations and Civic Education”—have been consolidated through the Cluster’s work over the past three years, and will be further advanced through sustained research, educational activities, and refinement over the next three years. In addition, two new themes—“Technological Development and Democracy” and “Democratic Governance Beyond the Developmental State”—have been newly planned. Through this expansion, the Cluster will foster discussions on the impact of rapidly evolving information and communication technologies on contemporary democracy, as well as on new forms of governance that move beyond the particularities of Korea’s past developmental state model.
Director
JeongHun Han Professor (SNU Graduate School of International Studies)
- - Ph.D. in Comparative Politics, Political Methodology, University of Rochester, USA (2007)
- - Professor, Graduate School of International Studies, SNU
Researcher
Video
Events
Citizens' Assemblies in Belgium and Korea: Reflections and Prospects
- Date : 2025-10-21
- Location : Roh Moo-hyun Citizen Center, Damo-yeo Lecture Room
- Host : Democracy Cluster
Reforming the Power Structure: A Dialogue Between Political Science and Constitutional Law
- Date : 2025-05-30
- Location : Seoaem Hall, 6th Floor, Building 17 (Law School Complex)
- Host : Democracy Cluster
Reforming Korean Democracy: A Shift in Perspective from Electoral Competition to Will Formation
- Date : 2025-05-22
- Location : Yang Doo-Seok Hall, Central Library, Seoul National University
- Host : Democracy Cluster
65th Anniversary Forum of the 4·19 Revolution: Constitutional Reform and Overcoming the Crisis of Korean Democracy
- Date : 2025-04-18
- Location : Korea Press Center Press Club
- Host : Democracy Cluster
IFS SNU Democracy Cluster - Co-hosted by the (Re)Parliamentary Development Research Association: What Kind of Democracy Do Koreans Want?
- Date : 2024-11-20
- Location : Small Conference Room, Basement Level 1, National Assembly Library
- Host : Democracy Cluster
The resilience of Korean democracy
- Date : 2024-05-16
- Location : Jusan Hall (Room 301), Modern Law Education Centennial Hall (Building 84), Seoul National University
- Host : Democracy Cluster
Institute for Future Strategy Democracy Cluster Conference: Are our elections sufficiently democratic?
- Date : 2024-04-16
- Location : Seoul National University Wooseok Economics Hall 223 Room 504
- Host : Democracy Cluster
Searching for Alternatives to Reform the Korean Political System
- Date : 2023-06-19
- Location : Seoul National University Wooseok Economics Hall 223 Room 504
- Host : Democracy Cluster
The Crisis of Democracy and Innovation
- Date : 2023-06-09
- Location : Seoul National University College of Social Sciences International Conference Room 16 Room 349
- Host : Democracy Cluster, Korea Institute of Politics
Democracy Cluster Inaugural Ceremony and Conference
- Date : 2022-06-21
- Location : Seoul National University Wooseok Economics Hall 223 Room 107
- Host : Democracy Cluster
