Protesters from a left-leaning labor group hold a banner that says "Hire Koreans" during their rally in Seoul, in this June 2017 file photo. In most Western countries, voters who identify themselves as liberal tend to be more open toward expanding immigration. But the same rule does not hold in South Korean politics. Korea Times photo by Jung Min-ho

In most Western countries, voters who identify themselves as liberal tend to be more open toward expanding immigration. But the same rule does not hold in South Korean politics.

In the latest survey result showing this distinction, released on Monday by broadcaster KBS, 64 percent of supporters of the conservative ruling People Power Party (PPP) said they are in favor of accepting more foreign immigrants.

This figure is higher than the rate among supporters of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party of Korea with 55 percent and that of those who support the Justice Party with 58 percent, which is regarded as being more progressive on social issues.

Why? Experts told The Korea Times on Tuesday that a combination of many factors ― liberal politicians' historical ties with nationalists and laborers as well as the significant influence of North Korea in national politics ― may have played a role in shaping such a cautious view.

"Nationalism still plays a critical role in left-wing politics here, unlike most countries in the West. That's because how to view and approach issues related to North Korea remains a decisive factor between South Korea's left and right," said Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University.

"Views of those who claimed to be liberals tend to be more nationalistic, as they see unification as one of the most important political issues."

Shin said their strong nationalistic, pro-unification views may have been reinforced by their skepticism about the U.S. government, which, to their disappointment, maintained a rather practical approach toward South Korea's dictatorial leaders. In the 80s, "national liberation" (from foreign nations) emerged as one of their key political messages that united the liberal bloc, he added.

Immigration had never been a mainstream political issue in a country surrounded by water, except for its closed border with North Korea. But as fewer babies were born in recent years, politicians who represented businesses saw the need for more workers from overseas. Experts said that was the driving force behind Jasmine Lee's political rise. Recruited by the main conservative party back then, she became South Korea's first immigrant-turned-lawmaker in 2012.

Meanwhile, the liberal bloc was struggling with balancing between the political minority group of immigrants and Korea's working class, its core political base, who saw immigrants as competitors in the job market, according to experts.

Unlike conservative politicians who tend to focus mainly on business, tradition and stability, liberal politicians have been struggling to embrace more broad values and ideas as demanded by voters, said Cho Jin-man, a politics professor at Duksung Women's University.

"The immigration issue, for many reasons, still is not among their political priorities when it should be, given the country's tumbling birthrate," Cho said.

Han Dong-hoon, interim leader of the ruling People Power Party, speaks during a meeting with officials at the party headquarters in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

South Korea's fertility rate ― the average number of children born to a woman during her lifetime ― reached 0.78 in 2022, the world's lowest level. Experts say a mixture of more support for families and well-designed policies to accept more workers from other countries is required to minimize the impact of the drastic demographic shift.

To reverse the worrying trend, the PPP and the Yoon Suk Yeol administration have pressed forward with creating a new immigration agency to take charge of relevant issues. Han Dong-hoon, interim chief of the party, had been working on that project as the justice minister before entering politics in December 2023.

"The fact that Han pushed for the agency as minister may have also positively affected how conservative voters see the issue," Cho added.