Sun, Mar 29, 2026 12:09
Mar 29, 2026
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1 min read
President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea is facing criticism for his social media posts threatening to revoke tax exemptions for property owners with multiple homes. Critics are likening this approach to Donald Trump’s way of real-time announcements that bypass traditional channels. There seems to be a worry that it fuels polarization and undermines deliberative democracy. The points raised in the discussion suggest a concern about how social media might dangerously alter policymaking and governance with its performative effects.
For further information, see the article and editorial from The Korean Herald.
Authors
Wouter Van Rossem is a researcher on the intersection between social science and computer science. He previously worked on the European Research Council (ERC) funded project, Processing Citizenship, where he investigated how data infrastructures for population processing co-produce citizens, Europe, and territory. He completed his PhD at the University of Twente in the Netherlands and is still working on publications stemming from these impactful projects. In addition to his academic pursuits as a PhD at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, he brings a diverse background as a software engineer, having worked in various companies and at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Italy. His diverse background, spanning both theoretical and hands-on knowledge, reflects his keen interest in exploring the intricate interconnections between technology and society.