• Gen Z gender divide shows young men favoring right-wing parties while women lean left.
• South Korean young women poised to backlash against conservative party in upcoming elections.
• Recent polls indicate a significant split in political support among young voters based on gender.

The upcoming presidential elections in South Korea on June 3 are anticipated to highlight a stark political divide among young voters, particularly along gender lines. Young women are expected to lead a backlash against the conservative party due to ongoing social and political dissatisfaction, while young men appear more inclined to support conservative options like the Reform Party and People Power Party, according to a recent Gallup Korea poll. The poll indicated that over half of men aged 18-29 favor right-wing parties, whereas almost half of young women support the left-leaning Democratic Party, illustrating a clear divergence in political allegiance based on gender.

This emerging split is reflective of a broader trend seen in democracies across North America, Europe, and Asia, where Gen Z voters exhibit marked gender-related differences in their political preferences. Many young men are gravitating toward right-wing parties as they respond to societal pressures and perceptions of economic insecurity. For instance, Lee Jeong-min, a first-time voter, expressed his intention to support the Reform Party's candidate, who aims to abolish the ministry of gender equality—a move resonating with the grievances of young men related to military service obligations that they see as disproportionately affecting them. Young men’s frustrations over job competition and societal expectations contribute significantly to this shift, as highlighted in studies by political economists like Soohyun Lee from King's College London. The sentiment reflects a growing belief among many that feminism has negatively impacted their opportunities in the job market, making women convenient scapegoats for their struggles, according to reports from multiple sources including Reuters and The Jakarta Post.

Moreover, this trend is not confined to South Korea alone. Elections in other democracies have revealed a similar pattern, where young men increasingly support right-leaning parties, while their female counterparts lean toward the left. For instance, in France and Germany, young men have shown a tendency to vote for far-right candidates, highlighting similar sentiments of discontent among young males regarding their economic futures. In Germany, men aged 18-24 cast 27% of their votes for the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD), while women under 30 predominantly favored leftist parties like Linke, which scored 35% among their gender, showcasing a widening political rift that echoes the findings from the South Korean context and supported by diverse sources including SCMP.

As these gender divisions continue to sharpen, experts warn that they may lead to significant challenges in forming political consensus on pressing issues such as welfare reforms, housing, and employment policies. The consensus-building process may be hindered by deeply entrenched biases and grievances across genders, potentially complicating governance in the future. Analysts argue that without addressing the core issues driving young voters' frustrations, such as economic instability and gender inequities, this political divide may persist or even deepen, according to the analysis by Soohyun Lee and corroborated by multiple articles including Reuters, The Jakarta Post, and SCMP.