Does Culture Determine Democratic Leadership in East Asia? The Case of South Korea During the Roh Moo-hyun Presidency

Scholars who believe that democratic leadership varies depending on culture often argue that because of the legacy of Confucian culture, East Asia favors directive leadership. However, based on our case study of South Korea during the Roh Moo-hyun presidency (2003-2008), we argue that democratic leadership varies depending on the political situation, regardless of the society's given cultural traditions. In a society, what we call “appropriate leadership” has more to do with political rather than cultural factors.