Different Manifestations of the Public Sphere in Japan and Korea

This paper examines the heterogeneous trajectory of the public sphere in Japan and Korea, especially how it is differently represented by NGOs in the two countries. The state has long been argued to safeguard the public ever since Aristotle laid the foundation for the intellectual tradition in which the state was considered as an agent of the universal interest. In contemporary sociology, however, this myth was challenged by a new tradition that emphasized the distinctive characteristics of modern state that concentrated on the reproduction of political power by the power elite, without paying due attention to the interest of the public.

The emergence of the public sphere in East Asia, more specifically in Japan and Korea, was rather hampered by the overdevelopment of the strong state during the process of economic development. Once the people in the two countries realized the necessity to protect their own interest as well as the public interest, however, various types of NGOs were institutionalized and took a central position in civil society. These organizations tried hard to advocate the public interest in diverse aspects of everyday lives of ordinary citizens. Despite these similarities, however, the ways they represented the public interest were very heterogeneous. Their manifestations of the public interest are not only different in their organizational structures, but also the issues they are concerned with. Generally speaking, NGOs in Japan have small-scale organizations and more voluntary participations, being more concerned with the enhancement of everyday lives of citizens. In contrast, NGOs in Korea have large-scale organizations and are more concerned with the political issues, frequently initiating massive protests against the state.