Media Use, Social Capital, and Civic Participation in South Korea

Analyzing data from a telephone survey ( N = 527), this study examines the interplay of social capital and media use in affecting civic life in South Korea. Two individual-level indicators of social capital (interpersonal trust and informal socializing) were both positively associated with civic participation. Use of the Internet for entertainment had positive relationships with both interpersonal trust and informal socializing, indicating that the Internet might enhance the production of social capital. Findings also supported the idea that different patterns of media use might either foster or undermine civic engagement.