Transition from Idealized Science to Culture of Skepticism in South Korea: Micro-Level Evidence for the Two-Culture Model of Public Understanding of Science.

This study examines public perceptions of science in South Korea through the lens of the two-culture model of public understanding of science, which suggests that a society's shift from industrializing to post-industrial stages corresponds with a transition from idealized views of science to skepticism. Using 2011 national survey data, the research finds that older South Koreans, who experienced the country's rapid industrialization, tend to hold more positive and idealized perceptions of science compared to younger generations raised in a post-industrial context, who exhibit greater skepticism. The study identifies several mediating factors—including perceived importance of economic development, scientific knowledge, political ideology, perceived uncertainty of scientific risks, and formal education—that help explain these generational differences. Overall, the findings support the two-culture thesis by demonstrating how South Korea's unique historical and socio-political trajectory has shaped contrasting scientific cultures within its population.