Politically, South Korea has experienced many sacrifices in order to realize a true democracy. The result of the immature democracy in early South Korea brought several prolonged one-man rules, dictatorships, and a military coup that many Koreans have under gone. The citizens resisted the injustice of democracy which is just given by no one’s pain. For example, The April 19 Democracy Revolution caused by the fraudulent Election on March 15, May 18 Democracy Movement caused by the coup of New Military Authorities, and other campaigns are some examples. When movements start, there are always university students representing the intellect of that time. In a word, early Korean university students were different from how they are today and they were very active and progressive in taking an action on a plan. For example, there was a protest on a grand scale on April 18 in 1960 the day before the April 19 Democracy Revolution caused by the fraudulent March 15 Election, and the students of Korea University were the driving force behind the protest. Shouting out strong slogans like “For liberty, justice, truth!”, “Eradicate Democracy rebel!” around 3,000 Korea University students. demonstrated with students struggling toward true democracy. Students around that time took part in politics with white towels on their heads as they marched down in front of the congress with their hands by lifting up all sort of placards, which is hard to expect from today’s university students. On the very day of April 19 Democracy Revolution, around 100,000 students of Seoul National University, Sungkyunkwan University, Dongguk University, Kyonggi University, Chung-Ang University, Yonsei University, and Hongik University participated in a huge demonstration and made Seoul famous, and later on Korea University joined as well. Although the early South Korean government dealt with the strikes ruthlessly, the students who lived in the 1960’s were active participants in politics who made genuine democracy a top priority in Korean society and always cared about social problems. Likewise, we couldn’t help discussing the history of Korean Democracy without the May 18 Democracy Movement. 20 years after the 4.19 Revolution, students still showed us strong attitudes in taking an action during the May 18 Democracy Movement. This Democracy Movement which was recognized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and is marked by the sacrifice of Gwang-ju and the participation of people from all walks of life. Nevertheless, we cannot deny that at the center of the demonstration, there were students. For instance, an astonishing movement, at Geumnam-ro which is the downtown area of Gwang-ju, was led by students of Chonnam National University at 10am on May 18, 1980, got a grasp of how their participation was voluntary and effective, and that movement affected other social classes sequentially. One of the main reasons Korean society could attain this level of democracy is that they pursued social justice and had the progressive student’s society and critical viewpoint about politics. In a word, university students in a fast-growing economy time were active fire starters distinguished from students today in the way to participate in politics.

   Like social critics ask, are universities dead? Do you think that there’s any doubt to call university students “the fire starters” in the last twenty years? After the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games which represented the economic golden age of South Korea, many Korean social critics say that “A university crisis has arrived.” Of course, a loud opponent will say “Korea gets a certain level of political stability from the efforts of the past, so it’s no problem.” However, the level of political apathy overshoots the minimum standard. Actually, it’s hard to find university students who are interested in politics. Look at the graph and you can recognize the problem at first glance. According to the NEC (National Election Commission), you can see the voter turnout of people in their 20’s. The graph above shows us that the percentage of its turnout consistently decreased from the 14th to 17th presidential elections. In general, people refer to it as the industrialization of the university, the conservatization of the university, or even the crisis of the university. Then, why did our shining students became so apathetic? There are several reasons of political apathy. First, we can discuss the complexity of Korean society and conservatism by its diversity. In the past, graduation from university wasn’t a worry for getting a job. Now Korea suffers from an unemployment crisis. In Korea now, graduation from university requires qualifications more than needed for reality. This circumstance just doesn’t allow university students time to ponder over politics or social problems. To put it shortly, university students in Korea have no time to think of other things except the unclear future that they will face. Second, selfish-individualism is widespread in Korea society. With complexity, it has to be widespread, so it is impossible for students to do something together for a common cause. Third, political distrust is prevalent in the young generation. Concerning a variety of politicians, people think of them a liars who always don’t actually act but only promise. It’s not right. Students should have a creative-reasonable perspective, if society wants to be more healthy. Thus, the conservatism and stiffness of university culture will become a bigger problem of Korea. However, recently slight changes that we may find interesting seem to be turning up among students. One of the
reasons is the development of SNS. What kind of changes are coming to university students?

Born in the Most Analog Way,
Spread by Digital: “Are You Okay?”

   The appearance of SNS like Facebook, Twitter, and so on affects society, and university students are greatly influenced by SNS in Korea. The most remarkable thing is that students not only use SNS for socializing but also way to participate in politics. In short, a warm breeze blows toward the political ice land which is the crisis of the university. As SNS grow fast, the interest of university students in politics and social problems has skyrocketed. There are many problems like insulting politicians on SNS and many points to repair, yet a new movement of university students seems to be a valuable phenomenon from a democratic perspective. Last year, the most issued hand-written poster “Are you okay?” could not has been issued, if there was no help from SNS and, chains of hand-written posters, demonstrations through the “Are you okay?” could not have been be not aroused. Let’s talk about the change from political indifference to political participation made by combination of SNS and the campaign

   There’s no doubt that the issues about the privatization of public enterprises rising from the last government are the main social-political problem in Korea. The longest strike of the Korail labor union explains it very well. The government insists that Korail should found a subsidiary KTX company to solve immense debts problem and normalize the public company. Asserting that the government’s plan lacks effectiveness and building a subsidiary KTX company can be the first step toward privatization of a public company, the labor union went on a major strike. The response of the government and Korail was tough. Korail announced that there would be no privatization and, it released all demonstrators’ from their position. Soon it became issued nationally and the direct reason of appearance of the hand-written poster “An-nyeong-deul-ha-sim-ni-kka (Are you okay)?”

A New Type of 20’s Political Participation Using
Hand-Written Posters,
and about the Start: “Are You Okay?”

   Actually, hand-written posters used to be posted from the 1960’s through the 1980’s. However, it has distinguished characteristics now. The past posters consisted of agitation, propaganda, and stimulus sentences so it was characterized
by its aggressiveness, but 2013’s poster fever started in “Are you okay?” is marked by calmness, and questioning. If so, what kind of message does analog-appeal that swings a social wave contain? Posting hand-written poster by senior year at Korea University, “Are you okay?” was born. The message delivers that “Because of Korail’s strike, the firing at all demonstrators has happened.”, “A high-tension electricity transmission tower was built in the countryside so inhabitants kill themselves by taking poison”, at the end, “I just want to ask it you are okay. Are you making a good life without a hitch?” Not only does the poster mention Korail’s demonstration, but also diverse social problems and the poster requires university students to wake up by asking are you okay? The past poster in 60’s to 80’s have used aggressive word like atrocity, or break down, but it is impressive that today’s posters use suggestion with recommendation. It is also surprising and even awkward that there is an analog political participation during a time when most people rely on digital means. The most ironic thing is that hand-written poster which is the most analog way of participation is propelled through SNS which is the most digital way. Facebook is a main contributor to this amazing spread. After “Are you okay?,” “a new page called Are you okay?” was registered on Facebook. Posting the fever of Are you okay? poster, the page gained sympathy (likes) and comments. As it became nationwide, a diversity of opinion turned up. Some people agreed with “Are you okay?,” so they supported the poster by saying “I’m not okay.” Others who were negative about “Are you okay?” cut the poster or posted the opposite opinion. Even a CEO of Korail posted “Today, Koreans are not okay because of this illegal strike” on facebook, citing the meaning of “Okay” differently. Through hand-written poster phenomena, students at all color have an interest in political thoughts, and social problems. They also widened the range of SNS, while posting individual thoughts about political-social problems. It is remarkable that past students were the fire starters and students today seems to serve that role now. The Korea University poster phenomena make it possible to post hand-written posters from students of the whole country to NGOs, to high school students, to students who study at the University at California at Berkeley, to civil to even member of the National Assembly and. CNU was not an exception. A member of the Minjoo political party posted the article titled “The Park Government lacks legitimacy on SNS.” High school students are posting hand-written posters about the problem of the university entrance in Korea associating with their poor lives. The Ministry of Education sent an official paper that restricted posting but some superintendent of education conceded hand-written posters in the viewpoint of freedom of expression. “Are you okay?” makes it possible to post contain individual social problems in poster term over political contents. Furthermore, the student who protests in the real world appears, as “Are you okay?” is spread. The wind of participation from Korea University changes present students to inherit the spirit of past university students who always considered social problems. It is clearly meaningful, but there are a lot of problems. Then, what is the right attitude that students should have in participating in socialpolitical activism.
 

   Korean society is marked by a chronic hot-temper: flying into a rage easily and forgetting it easily. However, if we set our direction clearly, as past students did, the present and future students can perform a good role in democracy. There is adistinctive identity between the 21st century university students and the 20’s. In the past, all the political participation that students did was top-down, but today it becomes possible due to the development of SNS for bottom-up political participation. Also, the power of students is different. In the past, unstable democracy helped students to drive movements but, in the future, individually experienced injustice and social empathy has brought students together. Why? Because a complex society that cannot be compared with the past hurts university students individually. Korea will expect energetic political participation and true participatory democracy through a new identity different from the past one. The reason why political authority decays easily is that no one keeps power in check. It’s time to know our power and show them.