Transparency, a Key Factor to Improve Social Cohesion: A Review of the Korean Experience in the Context of Social Quality Research

Abstract

This paper aims to present empirical evidence of change in terms of the social quality of Korea and provide theoretical explanations. The arguments begin by asking the question of why people are not satisfied although the society shows impressive improvement in both economic growth and political democratization. This inconsistency hints that rapid economic growth in Korea did not necessarily entail higher social quality. The main reasons for the feelings of dissatisfaction are growing distrust and exclusion between different social classes, and the weakening of structural empowerment. Based on historical and institutional arguments, the authors distinguish between two different types of social capital, and summarize the situation as an over-supply of relational capital and an undersupply of societal moral resources. They suggest that ensuring high transparency is the key factor to the improvement of social cohesion, ultimately contributing to better social quality.