Party membership motivations and political activism in a polarized new democracy: Evidence from South Korea

Gi-Woo Roh, Jungsub Shin, Sogang Institute of Political Studies, Sogang University, South Korea, Department of Political Science , International Relations, Soongsil University, South Korea

Party Politics: The International Journal for the Study of Political Parties and Political Organizations

Published online on August 05, 2026

Abstract

Party Politics, Ahead of Print.
This study investigates party membership motivations in South Korea, a highly polarized new democracy, and how they distinctively shape intra-party and campaign participation. Using survey data from 1,410 Democratic and People Power Party members, we ...