Co-organized by the Seoul National University Asia Center and the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, this roundtable brings together scholars from South Korea and Taiwan to explore how these two resilient democracies are navigating the global trend of democratic backsliding. Despite facing mounting internal polarization, external pressures, and the erosion of democratic norms worldwide, both countries have maintained robust democratic institutions and vibrant civic engagement.
The discussion will examine the institutional, social, and geopolitical foundations of democratic resilience in each country. Topics will include electoral integrity, judicial independence, media freedom, civil society, and executive accountability. The roundtable will also consider how shared authoritarian legacies and divergent political trajectories have shaped current democratic practices, and how regional dynamics—especially the implications of U.S.-China strategic competition—affect democratic sustainability in both contexts.
Through comparative analysis, this session aims to offer new insights into the conditions under which democracies endure and adapt, contributing to broader theoretical and policy-oriented discussions on democratic resilience.
Welcome Remarks:
Da-Chi Liao (President, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy)
Suhong Chae (Director, Seoul National University Asia Center)
Position Paper Presenters:
Kyung Hoon Leem (Seoul National University)
Min-Hua Huang (National Taiwan University)
