The 'Democracy Report 2026' by the V-Dem Institute, released in early April 2026, and a recent in-depth analysis by the Brookings Institution, provide clear data demonstrating a severe global decline in democracy. According to the V-Dem report, approximately one-quarter of the world's countries are currently undergoing a process of autocratization in 2026, a trend that has accelerated over the past decade. Analyzing this report, the LSE (London School of Economics) blog points out that the cracks in democracy are not limited to politically and economically weaker nations but are also clearly emerging in some European and North American countries, which were once considered bastions of democracy. Specifically, data confirms concrete patterns of democratic pillars faltering, such as the weakening of electoral fairness, suppression of media and freedom of expression, and threats to judicial independence, raising global alarm. This global democratic crisis presents crucial lessons for South Korea to re-evaluate the values of its own democracy and develop it in a more mature direction. Democratic backsliding is not merely a superficial change in political systems. Multilayered social, economic, cultural, and legal factors intricately intertwine, accelerating the weakening of democracy. The V-Dem Institute's 2026 report numerically demonstrates, through specific indicators, that electoral fairness is faltering globally, freedom of expression is threatened, and judicial independence is weakening. For instance, the report reveals an increasing trend in the number of countries where the liberal democracy index has declined over the 10 years from 2016 to 2026, with a notable deterioration observed particularly in electoral integrity and media freedom. In its April 9, 2026 analysis, the Brookings Institution identifies deepening economic inequality, intensifying culture wars, the spread of populist politics, and the growing influence of external authoritarian forces as key drivers behind these changes. The analysis suggests that economically marginalized groups express dissatisfaction with the existing system by supporting anti-establishment populist leaders, and cultural conflicts surrounding immigration and identity lead to widespread polarization and division across society. All these factors combine to gradually erode the foundations of democracy. The case of the United States serves as the most significant warning sign when discussing the democratic crisis. Even the United States, long considered a symbol of global democracy, has faced severe challenges in recent years. The Brookings Institution's April 2026 analysis specifically warns that the initial actions of the new administration (implicitly referring to the Trump administration, which regained power in 2025) pose a serious threat to three core pillars of democracy: protecting elections, upholding the rule of law, and combating corruption. The report notes that since 2017, key democratic institutions have been continuously attacked by an administration that rejects existing ethical norms and institutional checks, and this threat is accelerating in 2026. Specifically, it points to the systematic infringement on the independence of election management bodies, political pressure on the judiciary, and the weakening of anti-corruption oversight bodies. Furthermore, claims of election fraud surrounding the 2020 presidential election and the resulting social division, along with the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, are regarded as stark examples revealing the fragility of American democracy. The Brookings analysis diagnoses that while there have been a series of setbacks in electoral and criminal justice over the past decade, the foundation of the rule of law has further weakened in recent years, causing the U.S. to rapidly lose credibility as a global democratic leader. The LSE blog also references the U.S. case, analyzing that even democratic systems once considered stable can be vulnerable in the face of political polarization and the neutralization of institutional safeguards. This carries significant implications for South Korea. So, where does South Korean society stand amidst the global crisis of democratic backsliding? Since its democratization in 1987, South Korea has steadily developed its democratic system and has received relatively high ratings in the V-Dem index. However, concerns are being raised both domestically and internationally that social trust is progressively weakening amid intensifying political conflicts and rapid shifts in the power structure. For instance, the sharp confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties over prosecutorial reform has persisted for years, shaking public trust in judicial fairness and the rule of law. South Korea's ranking in media freedom has shown a downward trend in assessments by international press freedom organizations, and concerns about freedom of expression are growing due to allegations of
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