Nation-building in the First Republic of Korea (1948-1960) The origins of the conservative cartel in Korean politics

Abstract

This paper investigates the historical origins of the conservative two-party cartel in South Korea. The current period of transition in Korean society is characterized by the emergence of new political and contemporary issues, including those pertaining to labor, welfare, and inequality. However, there is a lack of a solid political base for discussing new political parties and social issues. This paper begins by examining the reasons why, despite the self-evident need to respect pluralistic values and diverse identities in a democracy, a political party representing these values has yet to emerge. The main hypothesis is that the nation-building of the First Republic, which spanned from 1948 to 1960, created an ideological and political environment that facilitated the establishment of the conservative two-party system. Accordingly, this paper conducts a content analysis focusing on ‘nationalism’ and ‘nation-building’ in the First Republic, with the aim of identifying the conservative path-dependence cartel that has structurally influenced the ideology of the current South Korea. Despite the fact that leftist forces were more popular in the South Korean political landscape after the liberation in 1945, only conservative forces were able to maintain their prominence within the legal institutional system. The consolidation of the conservative cartel formed during this period has led to the development of the current South Korean political landscape and institutional framework as an ideological factor that undermines pluralism. The nation-building policies were led by conservative parties that sought to protect their vested interests, and this entrenched cartel still has a strong influence on South Korean politics today. Currently, severe inequality is emerging as a social problem in South Korea. However, it is still challenging for progressive parties that discuss pluralistic values, such as policies to reduce inequality and polarization, labor policies, and welfare policies, to enter the political arena and come to power. This structure of the First Republic emphasized strategic alliances over pluralistic values and focused on systematic confrontation with North Korea.