Abstract
This paper examines empirically if class-based voting behavior exists among Korean voters and if class-based voting is conditioned on their level of political knowledge. In other words, we focus here on the interaction effect between voters’ class and their level of political knowledge on their vote choices. In addition, as we test these empirical questions, we employ alternative measure of class that incorporating both index of monthly income and assets whereas most of previous researches estimate it only with income data. Empirical finding shows that voters who have higher level of political knowledge tend to do class betrayal voting’. The higher class voters have tendency to vote for the Minjoo party if they have higher level of political knowledge. However, the voting results of the lower class show that they vote for Saenuri party as they have higher level of political knowledge. This result presents the significant effects that the political knowledge has on the relationship between class and voting behavior in the 20th National Assembly Election. In conclusion, this paper has implications that the class voting should be discussed both on the aspect of supply and demand of politics, voter’s political knowledge and class representing party.
BibTeX citation
@article{ohparklee2017,
Author = {Sujin Oh, Sanghoon Park, and Jaemook Lee},
Doi = {10.1007/s11266-016-9684-5},
Journal = {Korean Political Science Review},
Number = {1},
Pages = {153--180},
Title = {Class Betrayal Voting and Political Knowledge in the 20th Korean General Election},
Volume = {51},
Year = {2017}}