Student movements in Korea
The first Korean student movement begun in 1919, when students took part in the Sam-il Movement of 1 March to call for the end of Japanese colonization. The student movement has since then played a major part in several big political changes in Korea. Before liberation of Korea from Japanese rule in 1945, the main focus of the student movement was opposing this rule and demanding Korea's independence. After 1945, the student movements were mainly concerned with righting alleged wrongs in the Korean government. Students rose for instance against the South Korea's government of Syngman Rhee after the allegedly rigged elections in March 1960. 1980 marked a turning point in the South Korean student movement. After the Gwangju massacre in May 1980, the student movement got a clear vision, based on Marxism. Student activism is still common on the 21st century South Korean political scene.
History
Under Japanese rule
1919, participation in the Sam-Il Movement (3.1 or March 1st Movement)
The first incentive for the student movement was the oppressive rule of Japan over Korea and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson's call for the 'Self determination of Nations' following World War I.[1] The March 1st Movement (3.1 Movement) was a nationwide anti-Japan independence movement against Japanese colonial rule.[1] Although the students did not lead in the major uprisings of 1 March 1919, their activities influenced the leaders of the Sam-Il Movement.[1] The protest spread from Namdaemun Square in Seoul, and Pyeongyang and Gwangju, to rural areas, through people going to the funeral of Gojong (高宗, the 26th Joseon king).[1] The 3.1 Movement is the first and largest national movement that started in a colony of a country that was victorious in World War I.[1]
10 June 1926 movement
Students demonstrated and distributed a manifesto for independence in the Sunjong funeral line. Over 200 students were arrested.[2]
Gwangju student movement November 1929 – March 1930
The Gwangju student movement was a nationwide anti-Japan demonstration.[3] It was founded against the discrimination towards colonial education and ethnic discrimination against Korean students in the Japanese colonial period. This movement was triggered when Japanese students harassed a female Korean student.[3] A large scale street demonstration started in Gwangju and spread nationwide.[3] The Gwangju movement was a large scale ethnic movement against Japanese imperialism after the 3.1 movement.[3]
After 15 August 1945 liberation
19 April uprising 1960
On 11 April 1960 nearly a month after the demonstrations against the
Already before the elections on 15 March 1960, there was growing unrest among the Korean people.[4] The South Korean economy was hit by a crisis because of a change in economic policy.[4] Poverty ruled among the rural areas because residents moved to the city to look for work, but still the unemployment rate was at 34.2%. President Syngman Rhee tried to forcefully keep the populace in line but this only showed the undemocratic nature of his regime.[4] The students wanted a reform of the election system, but were thwarted when Rhee rigged the elections.[4]
1970–1980
During the 1980s, student movements in Korea became an important force in the political climate of South Korea.
The reason of the movement's existence can, however, be traced through the 1960s and 1970s.[5] The generation who led the movement have later been called the 386 Generation. These people went to college in the 1980s and had experienced the oppression of both students and labour first hand.[5]
After Korea's liberation by both
The
Students also became involved in distributing critical opinions through an underground press and many students who were expelled from school due to their activities were believed to have gone into the publishing business, where critical journalists had formed the Council for Democratic Press(민주언론시민연합).[5]
Three main political camps can be distinguished in the Korean student movement of the 1980s: The National Liberation (NL), the National Democracy (ND) and the People's Democracy(PD).
January 1987 torture and death of Park Jong-Chul
The Chun Doo Hwan administration, oppressed a pro-democracy movement by force of arms.[6] In this process, many citizens and students were tortured by the police force.[6]
The torture and death of Park Jong-Chul is one of these cases.
June 1987 death of Lee Han-Yeol
As demonstrations intensified, students in
Park Mi wrote that "the student generation of the 1980s played a pivotal role in the
Present
2008 candlelight vigil
After the discovery of mad cow disease in the United States, a candle light vigil was held to oppose the import of beef into South Korea from the United States.[8] In response, the South Korean government suspended the import of beef.[8] However, on 11 April 2008 the Lee Myungbak government initiated a deal with the US to restart import of beef.[8] This sparked criticism that the government sold the people's life and health.[8]
On 2 May 2008, students and other citizens held another candle light vigil to show opposition to the beef import.[8] At the first meeting, more than sixty percent of the participants were high school girls.[8] The vigil continued for more than a hundred days and the issue finally became political.[8] Hundreds of thousands of people participated in the rally during its peak in June and July.[8] Finally the government mobilized the police and arrested a large number of participants.[8] These people were put on trial for assembly and demonstration, and obstruction of ordinary traffic.[8]
2011 demonstration for university tuition
In the election pledge, the new government promised to lower university tuition, but they failed to fulfill this pledge, funding being the biggest problem.[9] College students and related organizations demanded that the government implement its pledge, saying that tuition is too expensive and students are too busy with their part-time jobs to properly attend to their school work.[10] Civil society and the university students demonstrated every day.[11] The students even did the 10,000 bae, 10,000 bows, aimed at removing 10,000 earthly desires, for a lower tuition fee.[11][12] Eventually, the government did not implement the promised half-tuition fee, but they did increase the government scholarship for the low-income bracket.[13]
2015–16 demonstration for comfort women agreement
A number of NGOs and international organizations tried to investigate and resolve the essence of the comfort women issue for 25 years.
Student demonstrations were held at Kyonggi University at Seoul, Kyunghee University, Korea University, Dongguk University, Busan College of Education, Pusan National University, Sogang University, Seoul National University, Sungshin Women’s University, Sejong University, Yonsei University, Ewha Womans University, Hakuk University of Foreign Studies, Hanyang University, and Hongik University with attendees including 25 student body presidents and 250 national university student unions.[14]
Activists, including many students, staged various protests against the agreement as late as January 2016.[15][16][17]
2016 protests
See also
- Hanchongryun
References
- ^ a b c d e Kim, Sung-Sik (1964). "Youth-Student Movement in Korea". Korea Journal. 4 (4): 24–27.
- ISBN 978-0-253-00078-1.
- ^ a b c d Yang, Ji Soo. "thesis 「study on socialism student movements in the late of 1920's」". www.riss.kr. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ ISSN 0037-7732.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Park, Mi (2005). "Organizing Dissent against Authoritarianism: The South Korean Student Movement in the 1980s". Korea Journal. 45 (3): 264.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ^ a b c d "이한열사망사건". Doosan Encyclopedia.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "2016년, 다시 2008년 쇠고기 촛불을 말하는 이유 – PD저널". www.pdjournal.com. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
- ISBN 9788963880624.
- ^ "무등일보 -광주전남 대표 정론지". www.honam.co.kr. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
- ^ a b "[반값등록금 릴레이 시위-130일]한양대 장동주". Kyunghyang Shinmun. 18 October 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
- ^ "대학생 "반값 등록금 실현" 1만 배 행진". mbn.mk.co.kr. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
- ^ "저소득층엔 반값등록금 넘어 전액장학금". Seoul Shinmun. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
- ^ a b c d e "[현장] 소녀상 앞 대학생들 "日, 위안부 범죄 사죄하라… 한일합의 무효" – 뉴스천지". www.newscj.com. 16 January 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
- ^ "[From the scene] Student sit-in shields 'comfort woman' statue". 27 January 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
- ^ "Students protecting comfort women statue hope to create national movement". Retrieved 27 June 2016.
- ^ "Students protest to protect comfort woman statue in Seoul : The DONG-A ILBO". english.donga.com. Retrieved 27 June 2016.