Event or Trend: Pro-Yoon Suk-yeol rallies in Seoul on 18-19 January saw a surge in anti-China rhetoric and conspiracy theories, particularly allegations of Chinese interference in Korea's 2020 general elections. These unverified claims were propagated widely through social media and after repetition by conservative lawmakers have entered mainstream political discourse.
Political polarization and the influence of the far-right and far-left on political discourse has increased with policy positions once considered extreme, now moving into mainstream debate.
