Tracing policy dynamics through the issue-attention cycle: the case of South Korea’s older driver license surrender policy

Abstract This study applies Downs’ issue-attention cycle to examine changes in public attention to older driver traffic safety during South Korea’s transition to a super-aged society. Drawing on media coverage, parliamentary records, public opinion data, and interviews with civil society actors, the study analyzes policy responses and public attention across different stages of the issue-attention cycle. The findings show that public attention to older driver traffic safety does not follow the pattern proposed by Downs. Instead, attention is repeatedly reactivated by specific triggering events. This process of issue rekindling is shaped by high-profile traffic accidents with substantial social impact, rapid population aging, and adaptive policy responses. Through this process, policies are continuously adjusted and further responses are developed. This study contributes to the literature by providing a multidimensional analysis of how the issue-attention cycle operates in the context of older drivers’ licensing and related traffic safety policies.