Growing Youth Dissatisfaction-36-year-old representative born in South Korea's largest opposition-July 2, 15:05

“No matter how much you study or try, it doesn't work and you feel frustrated.”

Korean young people are exposed to fierce competition for entrance exams and job hunting.

In addition, the high unemployment rate and soaring condominium prices are increasing dissatisfaction among young people.

Under these circumstances, a 36-year-old man is suddenly in the limelight of young people.

(Seoul bureau reporter Ichiwatari Sasa)

Dissatisfaction with the indelible status quo

"It was my simple dream that all the people could be happy in a fair world with a normal sense,"

said Kim Woo Joo (22), who attends a university near Seoul. is.

On the other hand, South Korea is in a state of being a “super-competitive society” where even if you win the fierce competition for entrance exams, you cannot get a job at the big company you want.

For this reason, the unemployment rate of young people in South Korea in recent years has remained high at nearly 10%, far exceeding the overall unemployment rate, and chronic employment difficulties have become a social problem.

Expected Mun administration

In the presidential election four years ago, the young Koreans who were dissatisfied with this were expecting President Moon Jae-in.

The turnout of the last presidential election was 76.1% for those in their 20s and 74.2% for those in their 30s.

Compared to the previous election, it was 7 points higher in the 20s and 4 points higher in the 30s.

Immediately after taking office, the youth's approval rating for President Mun exceeded 90%, and he set out on his own with the expectations of the young people, "I want them to improve their difficult situation."

Betrayed expectations

In order to meet these expectations, President Mun has emphasized that he will focus on employment measures, such as by complaining that he will become an "employment president."

However, the unemployment rate in South Korea between the ages of 15 and 29 in 2020 was 9%, which is much higher than the overall unemployment rate of 4%, and the employment difficulties of young people have not improved yet.

Furthermore, under the Mun administration, real estate prices, especially in the Tokyo metropolitan area, soared, creating a new source of dissatisfaction among young people.

In the capital, Seoul, the average price of condominiums has nearly doubled to over 100 million yen in Japanese yen.

For this reason, young people are saying that no matter how hard they work, their homes are out of reach.

Kim also talks about "anxiety about the future" every time he talks to his friends.

Kim Woo Joo

"I'm just talking about what we're going to do in the future. We're losing sight of the future of our lives. No matter how much we study or work hard, It doesn't work and I feel frustrated. "

Growing dissatisfaction

A series of scandals spurred the growing dissatisfaction with the Mun administration among young people.

Among them, various suspicions have been raised over the former Minister of Justice, who was considered to be the closest aide to President Mun, such as illegal admission to a prestigious university of his daughter and illegal investment by the whole family.

President Mun forced the appointment of the Minister of Justice amid fierce opposition, but the Minister of Justice was forced to resign a month later over a series of allegations.

Under these circumstances, President Mun has been criticized for being sweet to his relatives while advocating a "fair and impartial society," and the term "neronumble" is becoming popular.

This word is a shortened Korean word that means "romance if you do it, affair if you do it", and means double standard.

Kim is one of the young people who was greatly disappointed with the Mun administration in response to this.

Kim Woo Joo

"There are people who can't succeed even if they really work hard, but there are people who succeed with the power of their parents. If so, what should we young people do? I can't stand it. "

Opposition Hope on the saucer of dissatisfaction

Under these circumstances, on the 11th of last month, a man is in the limelight of young people all over Korea.

Born in 1985, 36 years old.

This is Lee Jun Suk.

After graduating from the prestigious Harvard University in the United States, he established an IT venture company.

He entered politics at the age of 26, but all the elections of parliamentarians who challenged three times were lost.

Mr. Lee was elected in the representative election of South Korea's largest opposition "People Power Party" last month.

It is considered to be the youngest representative of Korea's major political parties.

The representative of the Korean political party is often decided based on the number of elections and age, and Mr. Lee was a dark horse.

Why did you win?

That is because I expected Mr. Lee to be the source of dissatisfaction among young people by the largest opposition party, "People Power Party."

Acquiring young people is the key to the game

The presidential election to be held in South Korea in March next year.

It is the votes of young people that are expected to influence the outcome of this election.

In South Korea, it is said that the conservative opposition led by Mr. Lee, who is 36 years old, and the middle-aged people who are in the prime of work tend to support the innovative ruling party that supports the current Mun administration.

On the other hand, it is said that the younger generation has many nonpartisan groups, and in a poll released on the 25th of last month, 46% of voters under the age of 30 answered that "there is no political party to support", about 2 in their 40s or older. It has doubled.

In other words, both the ruling party and the opposition have a lot of room to increase the votes of young people, and it is thought that collecting more votes from young people will lead to victory.

Expectations for 36-year-old opposition representatives

"Our biggest challenge is to win the presidential election. To that end, we will create a party where diverse candidates and supporters can coexist."

Lee said in a speech after being elected to the presidential election. Looking ahead, I appealed as follows.

In South Korea, Mr. Lee will not run for the presidential election because he is over 40 years old.

However, as the largest opposition party, we intend to renew our image and expand the support of the younger generation.

Kim, who supported President Mun in the last election, is raising expectations for the opposition party led by Mr. Lee.

Kim Woo Joo

"The economy will be led by people in their twenties and thirties. We listen to the voices of young people and ask the government and political parties what to focus on. I want you to work hard for young people. "

Who will manage the administration?

Regarding the South Korean presidential election in March next year, the ruling party will elect the official candidates in September and the opposition party in November.

In the future, young people are likely to take a strict look at who will be responsible for managing the administration that will break the current sense of blockage.

Seoul bureau reporter

Ichito Sasa

Joined in 2003 After working at

Asahikawa Broadcasting Station,

International Affairs Department, and Vienna bureau, he has

been in his current position since 2019.