The history of Korea especially modern democracy has long developing stories. The constitution of Korea in 1948, president Rhee was one of the pioneer from the era Korean independence at 1945, he is considered as corruptive government which put down at Jeju island and hired mafia to put down the opponents of different political camp. In the end, Rhee was gone away finally, but democracy was not coming after, because military dictatorship prevalent. Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo regimes are all military dictatorship and corrupted. When Kim Young-sam who was activist for Korean democracy, many historians agree that real democracy began from his presidency, which was beginning of freedom in the country well. Traditionally, although political form was democracy, if people have satire critique to president, he would be persecuted and even in prison. However, when Kim Young-sam became president, month later, laughter book characterized Kim was published and gained popularity and another president Lee Myung-bak was at issue, people widely use the name “2MB (lacking capacity as president)” and so on. Not only this kind of kidding, Korean democracy is considered as most democratic in Asia, this is meaningful talk at Korean history and politics.
The Korean democracy is deeply rooted in the development of society and educational quality. In 1945, when Japan was defeated, Korea was independent. At the years, only 5 percent of people were graduated secondary school, but 1990s, above 90 percent. People’s attention on social right and freedom were improved very much and people’s pursuit on social issues are rationally at issue to make the situation better.
In military dictatorship era, many university students protested government, the most well-known image that people at demo confront soliders, is symbolic to 1980s Korean political scene. Hegel and Marx philosophy was favorite science between university students. Many leaders of this trend sometimes confined a prison, tortured by government officials, these people are taking part of Korean politics so-called 386 generation (30s of age at 1980s, born in 1960s) have been supported by progressive political people. There is also changing reputation of these people because of diversity in political survey, 386 generation people had led out the democracy to present day’s form, they are also symbolic importance in researching Korean democratic history.
Korea was vibrant tradition of protest. Military government’s persecution of people by oppressive manipulation of evidences, tortured and killed innocent citizens. The laborers were sacrificed by the name of economic development, and they also restricted entertainment cultures by censoring the lyrics but unfortunately censoring of them are arbitrary and over-reactive restriction. Presidential vote was operated by parliament, not direct vote from people. Some president put down protesters by firing them to be killed, Chun Doo-hwan’s demolition of Gwangju protest is famous in history. Similarly to Tienanmen Square protest, Korean people had vibrant tradition of protest.
After Kim Young-sam government, politically and gradually Korea became free democratic country. The first thing President Kim did was, to dismantle the private clan of generals in army, so-called hanahoe. Hanahoe members are illegally recruited private clan in Korean army, they were pointed out as corruption in politically interested army generals, but after dismantle, it is becoming common sense that army should only put their concentration to defend country, not politics.
The more date back history such as Donghak protest is considered as historical origin, it was 19th century where Korea was not formed modern form of country I omitted it to explain. The core idea is that Korean society was social class hierarchy so peasants have to execute protest movement many times, it was influenced to modernized form of protest.
Korean people can do solving social issue by collective sessions at Gwanghwamoon where is downtown center of Seoul government offices are nearby. The origin of this is Chotbul Seewee (protest with candle as hope and wish) when government decided to allow import beef meat from country where vCJD disease, Chotbul Seewee became significance to measure how mature Korean democracy is. Holding with candle, people have peaceful way of expressing their view to government, compared to past violent confrontation to polices, people have produced the democratic way of act in this way.
Sometimes it is excess as many Korean people express their complains agitatively, whatever it is, modern Korean people are said to be most democratic nation in Asia.
Recent 30 to 40 years of mass media and the advancement of the Internet, it has influenced confrontation between progressive and conservative political camp, it is often advanced to too much extra miles, however, in the liberty’s perspective, it is true that national opinions are freely speakable than the past.
The conception of Korean specific collaborative morality “woori” (we) culture, protest is a form of collaboration and living together.
It is good research topic around these developing stories, I suggested it.