War over framing: base politics in South Korea

ABSTRACT

When do anti-base movements manage to influence policy, and when do they fail to do so? Base scholars have largely overlooked what I argue is a significant factor that can shape public and government response to anti-base movements: political opportunities associate with framing efforts by key actors involved. Based on two cases of anti-base movements in South Korea, I show how framing battles between activists and media shape political opportunities afforded to anti-base movements and can ultimately influence movement success.

KEYWORDS:

• Base politics
• anti-base movements
• media
• political opportunities
• South Korea
• US alliances

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Terence Lee, Thomas U. Berger, Rosalie Arcala Hall, Taylor C. Boas and the anonymous reviewers for their comments on previous versions of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Interview with Lee Hyun Choul, July 8, 2016.

2. Interview, June 11, 2016.

3. Straub (2015) maintains that reports of injuries were based solely on Chun Man-kyu's claims.

4. Interview, July 2, 2016.

5. Interview, August 5, 2016.

6. Email correspondence, May 8, 2015.

7. Interview, August 5, 2016.

8. Interview, July 27, 2016.

9. Interview with Kang Sang-won, June 11, 2016; interview with Goo Jungseo, June 13, 2016.

10. Interview, July 27, 2016.

11. Email correspondence, May 8, 2015.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Claudia J. Kim

Claudia J. Kim is a PhD candidate in political science at Boston University. She researches American military bases in East Asia.