The political economy of policy gridlock in South Korea: The case of the Lee Myung-bak government's green growth policy

This article analyzes the occurrence, development, results, and special features of policy gridlock in South Korea's green growth (GG) policy from a political-economic perspective. Analysis is based on the claim that the relationships that the government has formed with other relevant policy actors-including the National Assembly, market players, and civil society-underpin the critical political-economic causes of the gridlock. Research results show that the characteristics of the relationships that the government has formed with those actors, as well as the complex interactions among them (such as intervening in other actor-government relationships and pursuing either conflict or cooperation with one another), have functioned as direct causes of policy gridlock. Based on these findings, the article explores the theoretical implications of the study of policy gridlock and the comparative international implications for global efforts toward GG, while considering South Korea's intermediate position in the global GG community.