The national assembly in the newly democratized Korean polity

Abstract

This essay discusses the Korean National Assembly's change of influence upon public policy since the Democratic Era. In the early phase of the current Era, the first half of the Thirteenth Assembly showed strong signs of policy activism. Later on, however, the legislature slipped back into a modest policy role. As with the Authoritarian Era, the Executive monopolizes the policy making process. Except for changes in constitutional provisions, party politics and legislative organizational features continue to prevent the Assembly from having a strong political voice.