Democracy at a crossroads: polarization, authoritarian echoes, and the struggle for legitimacy in South Korea

Abstract

This study examines how democratic erosion unfolds at the intersection of partisan polarization and authoritarian legacies, focusing on South Korea’s 2024 constitutional crisis. Drawing on original survey data from 2,000 demonstrators–1,000 supporting and 1,000 opposing President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment–the analysis investigates how citizens interpret executive authority, institutional legitimacy, and democratic norms during moments of political rupture. Descriptive and multivariate analyses reveal that attitudes towards martial law and impeachment are sharply divided along ideological lines, reflecting not only political disagreement but fundamentally opposing frameworks of democratic legitimacy. Support for emergency powers is strongly associated with conservative ideology and the retrospective legitimation of past authoritarian rule, while liberal respondents prioritize democratic safeguards even in times of crisis. These findings suggest that democratic resilience is undermined not only by elite overreach, but by polarization and historical narratives that enable citizens to rationalize institutional violations. This study contributes to broader debates on democratic backsliding by showing how erosion is sustained through both institutional dynamics and public complicity in polarized societies.