Developing policy theories in South Korea: lessons from the advocacy coalition framework

South Korean policy studies have had a strong tradition in the field of policy analysis but less so in the study of policy processes. This essay offers strategies for building research programmes towards advancing theories about policy processes, particularly policy scholarship in South Korea. Using the advocacy coalition framework as an illustrative approach, the essay describes four strategies for cultivating policy process research programmes: (1) recognizing the framework–theory distinction, (2) conducting comparative research, (3) developing methodology and hypotheses and (4) growing the academic community. This essay shows how these strategies can guide a research community towards better policy process scholarship attuned to the South Korean context yet connected to the global policy process community.