The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single

  • 3

    PHOTOSTrapped along borders

  • 5

    Opposition leader Lee again proposes talks with President Yoon

  • 7

    BTS' Jungkook drops 2nd solo single

  • 9

    Korea fails to be included on FTSE Russell's global bond index

  • 11

    Apple, China met to discuss Beijing's crackdown on western apps: WSJ

  • 13

    VIDEOBustling Chuseok: Namsan Hanok Village immerses visitors in Korea's rich traditions

  • 15

    Builders vie for leadership in modular construction

  • 17

    S. Korea eliminates N. Korea in women's table tennis doubles

  • 19

    S. Korea cruises past N. Korea in women's basketball

  • 2

    Korea wins gold in League of Legends competition; Faker tops podium

  • 4

    Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art

  • 6

    Pentagon's CWMD strategy document calls N. Korea 'persistent threat'

  • 8

    Are 'finfluencers' helping or harming investment community?

  • 10

    Yoon hosts Chuseok luncheon for Korean atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima

  • 12

    Swimmer Kim Woo-min captures 3rd gold in Hangzhou

  • 14

    Second release of Fukushima wastewater to start next week

  • 16

    My left arm: how right-handed shooter won Asiad medal with left hand

  • 18

    Following successful Asiad debut, swimmer Hwang Sun-woo turns eyes to bright future

  • 20

    Poll shows 79% of young Koreans agree on need to improve ties with Japan

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sun, October 1, 2023 | 02:29
-------------------------
Young people angered more by 'Choi Soon-sil gate'
Posted : 2016-10-29 17:54
Updated : 2016-10-29 17:54
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Choi Sung-jin

Most Koreans are now seething with fury and frustration over a few close confidants of President Park Geun-hye unwarrantedly monopolizing state affairs and destroying the nation's foundation itself.

Far more so than other generations are people in their 20s and 30s, including college students and social novices, experts say.

"These young people have grown up amid the encouragement that hard effort will win social recognition but found the reality was completely different as they suffer from unequal opportunities and job insecurity," said a sociologist. "Faced with extreme irregularities at the top, their accumulated anger is exploding."

The so-called 2030 generation, born after the 1980s, have received far better educations than their parents and grandparents and believed that various institutions would guarantee equality. Born and reared in nuclear families with one or two children, they have also heard advice and words of support that they could succeed if they try hard enough.

Cheong Wa Dae fends off prosecutors
Cheong Wa Dae fends off prosecutors
2016-10-29 14:32  |  National

As they have matured, however, these young people are finding that real life for them is not like that at all.

So much so that not just a few in this age group have given up hope of landing decent jobs, meeting the other sex, marrying and having children. Often called the "n (umberless)-abandoning generation," they find it all but impossible to rise to the same level as the class of people born with "golden spoons in their mouths," however hard they may try.

Their dissatisfaction and disgruntlement also brought about the "Are-You-Okay?" campaign, starting with large wall posters on college campuses three years ago. The hitherto politically indifferent generation then started to cast ballots en masse, breaking down the decades-old region-based elections and giving birth to the 20th National Assembly in which progressive and centrist parties take the majority.

Their shock with the "Choi Soon-sil gate," named after the mysterious woman and a shaman-like figure who reportedly has helped _ and controlled _ President Park over the past four decades, is being shown in the form of united action and street rallies, because these young people think they cannot normalize the abnormal state with just statements and declarations, the experts say.

The fury of the younger generations is also confirmed by the approval ratings of Park. The overall approval rate of the troubled leader plunged to 17.5 percent in the fourth week of October, according to Realmeter, a survey organ. Her popularity among the 20s, however, is far lower, at 3.4 percent, and 7.9 percent among 30-something respondents.

"Choi-gate broke out at a time when the younger generations were turning toward politics to find a breakthrough to get out of the deadlock, raising their explosive power to far stronger levels than those of other age groups," said Yoon Hee-ung, chief of Opinion Live, a public opinion-analyzing center. "One of the reasons is that Choi's privileged daughter is a college student like them."

An academic expressed a similar view. "Younger generations have tended to be more critical about the incumbent administration than older people have been, and the life of Choi's daughter that is in stark contrast to those of ordinary students could have ignited the fuse of their anger," said Professor Lee Byung-hoon of Chung-Ang University. "Whether this will develop into the revival of long-dormant student activism or end up as just temporary outbursts of emotions are yet to be seen, however."



Emailchoisj@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
miguel
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1Guide to Chuseok celebrations across Korea Guide to Chuseok celebrations across Korea
2Chuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holiday Chuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holiday
3Korea sees record-low births in July Korea sees record-low births in July
4Hyundai E&C to build upmarket apartment complex in Seoul's Gwanak District Hyundai E&C to build upmarket apartment complex in Seoul's Gwanak District
5Political battle intensifies after court rejects Lee's arrest warrant Political battle intensifies after court rejects Lee's arrest warrant
6Korea on track to prove esports prowess at Asian Games Korea on track to prove esports prowess at Asian Games
7[INTERVIEW] Risk-averse culture is forcing daring creators to flee showbiz INTERVIEWRisk-averse culture is forcing daring creators to flee showbiz
8Lotte focuses on health care, mobility to spur growth Lotte focuses on health care, mobility to spur growth
9DMZ Open Int'l Music Festival to be held in Goyang in November DMZ Open Int'l Music Festival to be held in Goyang in November
10Two Koreas trade barbs over nuclear war Two Koreas trade barbs over nuclear war
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] 'Coexistence of different art hubs across Asia is necessary': Art Week Tokyo Director INTERVIEW'Coexistence of different art hubs across Asia is necessary': Art Week Tokyo Director
2Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art
3[INTERVIEW] With '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting INTERVIEWWith '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting
4Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene
5[INTERVIEW] ONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince' INTERVIEWONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group