Globalization, Cultural Openness, and Public Preferences for East Asian Economic Integration in South Korea

Abstract

This article investigates the determinants of public preferences for regional economic integration in East Asia. Despite the "wave of scholarly enthusiasm" in support of regional integration, the public demand side of the story has not been clearly elucidated. Focusing on the public preferences for regional economic integration, this article employs two theoretical approaches: the economic approach and the cultural approach. The results of empirical analysis using the 2006 Chicago Council on Global Affairs-East Asia Institute survey on public perceptions of international relations indicate that both the economic and cultural approaches help explain variations in public preferences for regional economic integration in East Asia. Korean citizens with a positive view of economic globalization or higher levels of cultural tolerance tend to support Northeast Asian economic integration. Furthermore, the results find that perceived security threats from Japan hinder the support for regional economic integration, whereas perceptions of increasing fair trade with China and anti-Americanism increase public support. These findings suggest that the factors driving public preferences for regional economic integration in East Asia are multifaceted and context-specific.