[The Editors' Verdict] Politics Dividing the 2030 Generation

[Asia Economy Jeong Doohwan, Trend Managing Editor] "The reason people consistently support a particular party in voting is not because they like that party more, but because they dislike the opposing party more." This diagnosis was made by Ezra Klein, a columnist for The New York Times, in his book Why We Hate Each Other, criticizing the deepening political polarization in the United States over the past 50 years. He defined this phenomenon as 'negative partisanship.' He pointed out that when an individual's instinctive and emotional interests connect with politics, the willingness to do anything for the victory of their side also strengthens.

If you simply replace 'America' with 'Korea,' this analysis fits recent events almost perfectly.

Of course, elections are inherently battles divided into 'my side' and 'your side.' It is a winner-takes-all game.

In fact, it is not unique to Korea that political tendencies differ by age group and region, sharing social values developed during growth. The problem is the conflict and confrontation between male and female voters within the same generation, specifically the 2030 generation, which was starkly revealed again in the recent June 1 local elections following the last presidential election. This phenomenon was not seen in previous elections.

Among those aged 40 and above, political tendencies were similar between men and women, but in the 2030 generation, gender-based partisanship diverged sharply. The exit polls by the three major terrestrial broadcasters immediately after the election showed that the so-called 'I-dae-nam' (men in their 20s) and 'I-dae-nyeo' (women in their 20s) political confrontation is by no means a one-time occurrence.

Among those in their 30s, 58.2% of men supported the People Power Party, while 56.0% of women supported the Democratic Party of Korea. Among those in their 20s and younger, gender-based support rates are even more concentrated toward specific parties. The proportion of male voters supporting the People Power Party soared to 65.1%, while female voters supporting the Democratic Party of Korea reached 66.8%.

The support for specific parties or politicians divided by gender is blind. The supporters of Lee Jae-myung, a Democratic Party lawmaker known as 'Gaeddal' (literally 'Daughter of Reform'), are shaking up the political scene. The 'fandom politics,' where supporters believe 'the person I support is absolutely right' and tolerate no criticism, continues to have a strong aftershock even after the presidential and local elections. Their blind support, on the other hand, fuels a backlash that solidifies the support of 'I-dae-nam' for the opposing camp.

In fact, the rift within the 2030 generation has already deepened considerably. They openly show hostility toward each other over issues such as military service, employment, and other social matters. The aggression toward each other displayed on social networking services (SNS) is even chilling. At a glance, coexistence seems impossible.

However, our politics seems to lack both the ability and the will to mediate such conflicts. Instead, there is only provocative agitation to turn them into one's own side. Moreover, the political sphere has not done anything special for them. Rather, it appears to be scrambling to maintain positions by using their support base as bodyguards.

Famous documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, borrowing the voice of a historian in Fahrenheit 11/9: The Age of Trump, argues, "Dictators consolidate their supporters over a long period. People do not care whether he lies or not. They only believe in him."

Where is the end of hate politics relying on the blind support of a specific base? Can we be sure that an incident like the January 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol by Donald Trump supporters who refused to accept the presidential election results will never happen here?

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.