From Indifference to Making the Difference

Abstract

Despite high expectations for how new networked information technologies (NNITs) could influence democratic outcomes, few studies have provided clear evidence that NNITs have changed political discourse or election outcomes. With this in mind, this paper examines how young, politically indifferent, Korean NNIT users involved themselves in mainstream Korean political discourse and became the linchpin in the election of President Roh Moo-hyun in 2002. In the information age, demonstration effects from NNIT-induced mobilizations can bring about dramatic changes in electoral politics. The Korean experience in 2002 suggests that while turnout declined among all generational groups in general, NNITs can play a decisive role in shaping the political cohesiveness and voting patterns of younger generational groups in electoral politics.

Key Words:

• Internet
• new networked information technologies (NNITs)
• social capital
• democracy
• 386 Generation
• 2030 Generation
• election
• Korea