제 21 호 Social Polarization
Kicker: Society
Social Polarization
by Si-ho Park, Reporter
Recently, the word “polarization” has been heard more often around us. Polarization means that different classes or groups become more and more different and distant. The conflict between two classes or groups deepens as prejudice and discrimination become more severe.
This polarization often manifests itself in many aspects: social, economic, cultural, political, etc.
Since economic, cultural, and political polarization are all things that happen in society, I will bind all together to social polarization, and let’s look specifically at the three polarizations in terms of economy, culture, and politics.
Economic Polarization
According to UNESCWA (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia), social polarization is associated with the segregation within a society that may emerge from income inequality, real-estate fluctuations, economic displacements, etc., and result in such differentiation that would consist of various social groups, from high-income to low-income. As in this definition, economic polarization manifests itself as income inequality or the gap between the rich and the poor.
Compared with other East Asian countries, South Korea has relatively lower levels of income inequality, mostly due to the fact that its national income growth was more equally distributed in the early stages of the economic take-off in the 1980s. Yet, income inequality has worsened over the last three decades. And especially, COVID-19 widened economic disparity more. Research published by Shinhan Bank in April this year showed that the top 20 percent earned 9.48 million won a month as of early 2022, while the lowest 20 percent made 1.81 million won, a 5.23-times difference and a clear deterioration from 4.76 times in 2019. The pandemic accelerated corporate digitalization; many low-income workers have lost their jobs and high-income workers have been able to make more money from digital-based growth. This has pushed wealth to one side, and the gap has widened.
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/biz/2024/02/602_339243.html
Cultural Polarization
Cultural polarization is polarization caused by socio-cultural characteristics, and the cracks between races or genders, which are caused by social prejudice, are representative.
Racial discrimination has been a serious global issue for a long time. And in South Korea, gender conflicts have been particularly serious enough to become a political issue.
The cultural polarization is closely related to the aforementioned economic polarization. When poverty, inequality, and discrimination are caused and intensified by economic polarization, it becomes cultural polarization, creating a gap in society. To overcome this vicious cycle, we must practice sharing and induce wealth redistribution, showing deep interest and consideration for the socially unprivileged.
Political Polarization
Political polarization is the divergence of political attitudes away from the center, towards ideological extremes. This means the intensification of the ideological conflicts or divisions between the left and the right. And the Pew Research Center defines it as “the vast and growing gap between liberals and conservatives, Republicans and Democrats.” The opinions of the Korean public are particularly divided. Ideological polarization is intensifying among Koreans on all issues, such as the importance of economic growth or welfare, the need for redistribution, and the preference for the Korea-U.S. alliance.
Korea's political polarization is evident in the recent knife attack on Lee Jae-Myung. Lee Jae-Myung, who is the head of South Korea’s Democratic Party, survived the attack in Busan. The elderly man who stabbed him did so wanting to prevent the progressive politician from winning the country’s next presidential election in three years. There’s some other evidence of Korea’s political polarization. There was an event set up by a group critical of Yoon that featured a booth where you could shoot toy arrows at photographs of Yoon, his wife, and Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon. Meanwhile, somebody defaced the grave of Lee Jae-myung’s parents, in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province, and buried a stone inscribed with curses there.
And there is also a huge polarization between the U.S. Democrats and Republicans. In the U.S. 2024 presidential election, which is just around the corner, Donald Trump supporters and Joe Biden supporters are split to the extreme. But the hatred between the two parties can just hurt each other. We should reduce political polarization and free ourselves from this political civil war. We need to stay firm and not be swayed by hate-mongering extremists. We need to learn the wisdom of co-existing with people who adhere to different political beliefs. I believe that democracy is all about coexistence.
Recently, the polarization of citizens in all areas of society - economy, culture, and politics - has been getting worse by the day. What is causing this division to worsen? What makes people so angry and divided? As I mentioned at the end of the Political Polarization section, we should be able to live with people who have different opinions. So, when we can finally coexist and learn from each other, we can grow. I am hoping for the day when we open our ears, listen to each other's opinions, coordinate, and work together to create a growing society.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/03/world/asia/south-korea-opposition-leader-stabbing.html
https://archive.unescwa.org/social-polarization
https://wid.world/news-article/income-inequality-in-south-korea-1933-2022
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/biz/2024/02/602_339243.html
https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1085151
https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/south-koreas-opposition-head-was-stabbed-to-stop-him-becoming-president-police-say-2a2ec63f
