COVID-19 and Attitudes Toward Democracy: Evidence From South Korea

Abstract Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019, it has been argued that the pandemic has negative aspects related not only to public health but also to democracy. While various crises have been shown to undermine citizens’ attitudes toward democracy, the pandemic, characterized by viral risk, likely showed distinct patterns in democratic attitudes compared to previous crises. In this study, I argue that the COVID-19 pandemic’s negative aspects for democracy were not evident in citizens’ satisfaction with democracy but were more significantly evident in their attitudes toward democratic norms and principles. Data collected in South Korea between 2020 and 2024 show that, while citizens’ perceptions of viral risk are not significantly associated with their satisfaction with democracy, positive evaluations of the government’s capacity in handling COVID-19 are tied to an increase in satisfaction. However, higher perceived viral risk levels and greater government capacity evaluations are associated with stronger support for stringent policy measures that violate democratic norms and principles. Finally, the reduction in perceived viral risk does not correlate with changes in attitudes toward stringent policy measures. Therefore, the pandemic’s negative implications for attitudes toward democratic norms and principles have the potential to linger long-term in post-pandemic politics.