By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Jeon Jae-hee, minister for health, welfare and family affairs, Wednesday, asked the heads of student councils at universities nationwide to refrain from encouraging heavy drinking at welcoming parties for freshmen.
Concerned about a series of accidents by drunken students, which have often led to serious injury or even death, the minister promised her full support to student communities opting to hold "alcohol-free" welcoming parties
"Just when the whole family is overjoyed with their children being admitted to universities for a new life, they are hit by the tragic news," she said in a letter sent to the chiefs. "It is also a huge loss for the society waiting for talented youngsters to grow up and take their part in society. We hope elder students will lead their juniors and freshmen to establish sober yet fun and active party cultures at the ivory tower."
Over the past several years, freshmen welcoming parties have been notorious for spreading an excessive drinking culture and creating ruckuses. In some cases, drunken seniors order freshmen to dive into water or dart across tracks in front of oncoming trains, which, in the past, have led to fatal accidents.
The health ministry last year encouraged student communities nationwide to join a sobriety vow for their get-togethers.
Minister Jeon is also planning to contact breweries to stop them providing free booze to campus parties as a means of promotion. These events have been accused of proliferating drinking habits among youngsters.
This is the second time she has made direct appeals to students over alcohol abuse, following her "tea time" with the heads of student councils last year.
She is the first Cabinet member to have talked to students over the problems rather than giving direct orders to university authorities and to have asked liquor makers to address the problem as well.
In fact, Jeon's groundbreaking and pragmatic approach has been seen in other areas within her ministry. The ministry has designated every Wednesday as "Family Day" encouraging workers to go home early to spend quality time with their families.
On the third Wednesday of January, the authorities turned off all the lights at the ministry building at 7 p.m. in an attempt to drive all the workers home, have more time with the family and, most importantly, have more children. Government insiders have called the strategy the most straightforward and highly compelling idea the administration has had so far to boost the falling birthrate.