ScholarWorks@숙명여자대학교

초록

This paper aims to identify the current status of the regional cleavage, which has been considered as the dominant cleavage in Korean politics. Drawing on recent developments in cleavage theory, it conceptualizes Korean regional cleavage as the only full cleavage and attempts to identify persistence and change in the cleavage structure, utilizing the nationally representative survey collected after the 19th presidential election. The paper argues that social divisions considered to weaken the regional cleavage have not qualified as full cleavage since they lack at least one of the mutually reinforcing elements such as self-conscious demographic groups, distinct group norms, and political organizations. This study basically supports the argument but observes that there is a divergence in political preference among Youngnam natives, signaling that the regional cleavage may be reorganized based on Honam versus Daegu/Kyungpook natives. The empirical analysis presents a series of observations that support the argument: First, Honam natives are more likely to place themselves on the progressive side while Daegu/Kyungpook counterparts on the conservative side, each aligned with political ideology associated with respective regional parties. Second, Honam and Daegu/Kyungpook natives diverge markedly on issues on North Korea, which have been deemed as progressive agendas. Third, more than the half of Honam and Daegu/Kyungpook natives feel closer to and show favoritism toward their in-group regional parties while they do not hide antipathy toward their out-group regional ones. Fourth, Honam natives register the lowest cross-pressure scores while their Youngnam counterparts register higher scores. Fifth, independent effects of Honam and Youngnam natives and regional parties still exist. Busan/Ulsan/Kyungnam natives do not register markedly divergent political preferences from those of Honam natives through all these observations. This paper concludes with discussing the implications of the current regional cleavage structure for Korean politics.

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