Light up Our Society
People are coming out to the street. What made this people angry? What made this people to move?..............................................................................................Ed.
The Candlelight Vigils started to interest people’s attention and were filled the headlines in the daily newspapers. Though President Lee Myung-Bak attempted to apologize to the people, the candlelight demonstrations were, however, descending into violence before long. Now citizens’ distrust of the government reached a peak and the government’s insincere attitude still remains. Although the Candlelight Vigils has continued for more than a month, the MB government isn’t producing any results other than fueling the citizen’s distrust toward the government and creating an emptiness and disappointment. Candlelight Vigils which have continued for three months are changing their subjects. However problems concerning violence and deterioration of the subject are questioning the real meaning of Candlelight Vigils
(1) The Candlelight Vigils: It is unfruitful, but people can not give it up.
General people are asking the government to be free from the risk of the mad cow disease through the Candlelight Vigils. However, the government has ignored this demand because it doesn’t have political power and influence.
As it is not an election period, Korean citizens cannot exercise their rights and the political protest cannot be effective. Citizens encouraged to participate in politics during the election period. This is because the rights to participate in politics are restricted from the common people.
There are many ways to take part in politics such as voting, participating in political party activities, participating in civic groups, voicing opinions through the press, and demonstrating against the government. Among them, the Candlelight Vigil is a very ineffective way to ask something. General people who are not politicians should protest constantly to express their political opinions. Even through citizens’ demands are accepted, we can’t check up or watch whether government operates policies well or not. In a lot of situations, it ends as just ‘one show’. Nevertheless, people come out to the streets to participate in the Candlelight Vigil because it is almost impossible for people to participate in politics in any other way.
(2) The Deaf Government: Communication Breaks Off Between People and the Government
There are five methods for citizens to take part in politics, voting, participating in political party activities, participating in civic groups, voicing opinions through the press, and a demonstrating. With what methods do people exercise their political rights effectively?
Voting : As mentioned above, people cannot exercise their rights after the election period ends.
Political Party Activities : A political party reflects various political ideologies and interests. However, Korean political parties are separated by regional sensibilities rather than by ideologies.
Everybody knows that local feelings are inappropriate reasons to grant authority. Parties aren’t able to ignore local feelings and which play an important role in election though they know it is not right. The Democratic Labor Party is the only party which has absolute ideology in Korea. Accordingly, an ideology or speaking for social classes seems to exist only in the dreams of Korea.
Civil Society Organization : A hero hidden in democracy are civil society organizations. Unlike individual to citizens, they are professional and have political influence such as the right to speak on special political issues. They should have taken action on the issue of the U.S. beef deal. Even though Korean civil society organizations are professional, they don’t have such
political power on government, end up playing only a light role in politics.
The Media : Newspapers carry public opinions and provide information for the public. Information is objective but interpreting information can be subjective. Biased information also leads readers to prejudice. This kind of fallacy like over-generalization can be newly adjusted by different media sources which have various viewpoints. Korea’s main newspapers such as Chosun Ilbo, Dong-A Ilbo, and JoonAng Ilbo carry various articles, but not diverse viewpoints.
Demonstration : Naturally, citizens choose ‘ineffective’ protest for political participation. Protesters can directly express public opinion but the government does not need to yield to their demands.
Nevertheless, a protest is the only way for citizens to participate in politics. Even without protests, mutual links between the public and the government are impossible. For this reason, it is difficult to correct the government’s policies even though they stray from the right path.
(3) For whom are Candlelight Vigils?
At least for 45 days since Candlelight Vigils started in May there have been huge and small ones, including even some situations where they took control of the streets. Where the candlelight Vigils actually are done is City hall or Gwanghwamun having high fluidity. If these places are under control, the surrounding traffic can worsen influenced by it. In this way, these have directly damaged the citizens.
Candlelight Vigils are always one-time events. These are not ones for people to come out in a certain time and be responsible for their acts. The people who took part in are mostly nonymities. Sometimes these people became malicious repliers off-line. They mobilize violence in the Candlelight Vigils. They don’t care about the real nature of the Candlelight Vigils and merely stimulate excited people.
Kim Pil-ji (Editor-in-Chief)
pilji714@ssu.ac.kr
Park Ji-yeon (ST Reporter)
cindigo@ssu.ac.kr
