Kayoon Kim
Department of Sociology, Chung-Ang University
Claiming for Rights:
The Changing Landscape of Issues and Claims
in the National Petition of South Korea, 2017-2020.
Contents
Background
Launched in August 2017
For direct communication with the public
Responds to petitions that reached over 200,000 signatures
At least 100 signatures needed
Currently in operation
Literature
Review
Sociological Perspective
Political Perspective
Theoretical
Framework
The content and subjects of the petition data will contain social multi-perspective factors.
Based on the Structuration
Theory,
Data &
Methods
Petition Database
Natural Language Processing Tools
Analyzing Tools
Comparative Study
Findings
Findings
Findings
Rank | Date posted | # of Signatures | Petition title / Subject Matter |
1 | 2020-03-18 | 2,715,626 | “Release the personal information of the suspects of Telegram Nth room case and put them on the photographers’ area” (criminal case involving blackmail, cybersex trafficking, and the spread of sexually exploitative videos via Telegram) |
2 | 2020-03-20 | 2,026,252 | “Release the personal information of all Telegram Nth room subscribers” |
3 | 2019-04-22 | 1,831,900 | Dissolution of the certain political party called ‘Jayoo Hankook’ |
4 | 2020-02-26 | 1,504,597 | “Supporting President Moon Jae-in!” |
5 | 2020-02-04 | 1,469,023 | Urging the impeachment of President Moon Jae-in |
6 | 2020-02-22 | 1,449,521 | Dissolution of the certain religious group called ‘Shincheonji’ |
7 | 2018-10-17 | 1,192,049 | “Perpetrators of heinous crimes should not be given lenient sentences due to their history of mental illnesses” |
8 | 2020-04-02 | 1,007,040 | “More violent punishment for juvenile delinquents” |
9 | 2020-01-23 | 761,833 | Request to prohibit Chinese entering to the country (Korea) |
10 | 2019-08-21 | 757,730 | Request of an appointment of the certain candidate (Cho Gook) as the Minister of Justice |
Findings
Overall Analysis
Entreating & Using honorifics
Focused on Individual’s incidents
→ Victim (피해자), Assailant (가해자), Incident (사건)
→ Our (저희, 우리) , Daughter (딸), Son (아들)
The word 아이(pronounces as Ah-ee) appears a lot
Findings
Keywords
President (대통령)
Lawmakers (국회의원)
Incident (사건)
Investigation (수사)
Punishment (처벌)
Government (정부)
Judgment (판결)
Accuse (구속)
Accumulated corruption (적폐)
Women (여성)
Victim (피해자)
Incident (사건)
Punishment (처벌)
Gender (성)
Perpetrator (가해자)
Police (경찰)
Findings
Keywords
Student (학생)
Child (아이)
School (학교)
Daycare centers (어린이집)
Teachers (교사, 선생님)
CCTV, Abuse (학대, 아동학대) Damage (피해)
Findings
Keywords
Child (아이)
Resident (주민)
Safety (안전)
Accidents (사고)
Our (우리)
Fine dust (미세먼지)
The life of organism (생명)
Materials (물질)
Waste (쓰레기)
Findings
Keywords
Findings
Hospital (병원)
Treatment (치료)
Covid-19 (코로나)
Circumstance (상황)
Child (아이)
Medical care (의료)
Patients (환자)
Doctors (의사)
Mask (마스크)
Support (지원)
Government (정부), Nation (국가)
Keywords
The White House E-Petition site “We the People”
The Blue House National E-petition site in Korea
Findings
Findings
Rank | Subjects | % of Total |
1 | Health care system | 8% |
2 | Military veterans’ issues | 6 |
3 | All specific illnesses combined | 6 |
4 | Immigration | 5 |
5 | Requests to honor individuals or create holidays | 5 |
6 | Requests to investigate specific criminal cases | 5 |
7 | Animal rights | 5 |
8 | Education policy | 4 |
9 | Gun control/gun rights | 4 |
10 | Requests to punish public officials | 4 |
Most common petition subjects
On “We the People” Petitions
Findings
Rank | Date posted | # of signatures | Petition title / subject matter |
1 | 2012-12-14 | 367,180 | “Legally recognize the Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group.” |
2 | 2016-04-06 | 331,914 | “Establish justice and prevent a great catastrophe” (Armenia/Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh territory) |
3 | 2015-03-09 | 322,117 | “File charges against the 47 U.S. senators in violation of the Logan Act in attempting to undermine a nuclear agreement.” (Nuclear agreement with the Iranian government) |
4 | 2016-01-15 | 314,226 | Ask President Obama to appear on HBO’s ‘Real Time with Bill Maher’ |
5 | 2014-01-23 | 273,968 | “Deport Justin Bieber and revoke his green card” |
6 | 2016-05-18 | 248,860 | “Plea for justice for Ven. Dhammajayo, denied reasonable accommodation as a defendant” (Investigation of Buddhist monk in Thailand) |
7 | 2015-07-28 | 236,961 | “Extradite Minnesotan Walter James Palmer to face justice in Zimbabwe.” (Accused of killing Cecil the lion) |
8 | 2013-05-04 | 223,913 | “Democracy crisis in Malaysia: foreign workers were employed for fraud voting in Malaysian General Election” |
9 | 2016-03-22 | 219,715 | “Investigate the voter fraud and voter suppression in Arizona 3/22/2016 Democratic Party” (Presidential primary) |
10 | 2013-07-07 | 213,146 | “Declare Muslim Brotherhood organization as a terrorist group” |
Results &
Conclusion
Mechanical Solidarity
Patriarchy
Socially,
Patriarchy and the mechanical solidarity remained in the society.
Results &
Conclusion
Distrust of Lawmakers & President
Government = single actor?
Authoritarianism
Politically,
Polarization
The distrust of lawmakers and a president
Treating the government as a single actor
Part of authoritarianism from the past
Polarization
Results &
Conclusion
Communitarianism
Culturally,
The hatred against certain groups was shown based on communitarianism.
Results &
Conclusion
Internationally,
Claim-making differs by socio-cultural factors for each country.
감사합니다.
Thank
You