Overview

In December 2024, South Korean president Yoon Seok-yeol stunned the world by declaring martial law. More puzzling was that Yoon's insurrection unexpectedly gained substantial support from the ruling right-wing party and many citizens. Why do ordinary citizens support authoritarian leaders and martial law in a democratic country? What draws them to extreme actions and ideas? With the rise of illiberal, far-right politics across the globe, Reactionary Politics in South Korea provides an in-depth account of the ideas and practices of far-right groups and organizations threatening democratic systems. Drawing on eighteen months of field research and rich qualitative data, Myungji Yang helps explain the roots of current democratic regression. Yang provides vivid details of on-the-ground internal dynamics of far-right actors and their communities and worldviews, uncovering the organizational and popular foundations of far-right politics and movements.

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9781009588805

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Reviews

'A brilliant study of the rise of the South Korean right-wing, on a quite different path than the globalization and economic dislocation that spurred the far-right in the West. This nuanced, engrossing, and important book deserves attention by scholars, students, and readers interested in East Asia and the trajectory of modern politics.' Kathleen Blee, Distinguished Professor of Sociology, University of Pittsburgh 'A critical addition to the literature on the far right - this timely and well-written analysis of the South Korean case fills a key gap in our understanding of the transnational nature of the far right. An essential read for anyone who wants to understand the global nature of far-right politics, organizations, and mobilization.' Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Founding Director, Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University 'Reactionary Politics in South Korea offers fresh insight into a global phenomenon through the lens of an underexplored national context. The far right is not the same everywhere, contends Yang, and we need to understand both the global and local aspects. The book is imbued simultaneously with a cosmopolitan sensibility while also displaying sensitivity to local conditions and meanings. Yang explicates the powerful forces behind South Korea's far right and, with remarkable empathy, traces the circumstances and ideas that have led far-right followers to their political orientation. Reactionary Politics is the sort of careful analysis that enriches our knowledge of a troubling issue of worldwide significance.' Erik Mobrand, Associate Professor, Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University

Author Information

Myungji Yang is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. As a political sociologist, her research interests include state-society relations, authoritarianism, and democracy. She is the author of From Miracle to Mirage: The Making and Unmaking of the Korean Middle Class, 1960–2015 (2018).

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