'Minji (MZ), Please'... Yoon Seok-yeol Camp Communicates Policies with 2030 Generation
Yoon Seok-yeol "Minji Asked, So Let's Do It"
Yoon Seok-yeol, former Prosecutor General and presidential candidate of the People Power Party. Photo by YouTube channel 'Yoon Seok-yeol' screenshot.
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate and former Prosecutor General, has announced active communication with the younger generation by launching an online campaign called 'Minji-ya Butakhae' (Minji, Please Help). 'Minji' personifies the MZ generation (born from the early 1980s to the early 2000s), and Yoon's team plans to gather various policy ideas to address youth issues through this campaign.
However, netizens' reactions to the campaign are mixed. While some support Yoon's move, calling it a "good idea," others criticize it, saying, "This is not what the MZ generation wants."
Recently, Yoon announced the start of the 'Minji (MZ)-ya Butakhae' campaign on his Facebook page. He said, "I want to capture the sincere stories of young people. Ideas are welcome, and so are concerns. Please share what you want to tell me without reservation. My SNS and email are always open for you. Your thoughts will become policies," encouraging participation.
Along with this, he released a promotional video for the campaign in which Yoon tells his aides, "Minji contacted me. These days, the MZ generation is struggling with these issues; shouldn't we step up?" and "Students are worried about employment due to COVID-19 and are even considering taking leaves of absence, but there are so few job postings. What can we do?"
He also said, "Let's solve these problems decisively," and added, "Hey, Minji is asking us to do this. Let's give it a try. We can do it together."
Yoon Seok-yeol, former Prosecutor General and presidential candidate of the People Power Party. Photo by YouTube channel 'Yoon Seok-yeol' screenshot.
As of 9 a.m. on the 23rd, Yoon's Facebook post had received over 1,600 comments. One netizen who saw the video said, "It looks awkward, but that makes it seem more genuine. Don't pay attention to those who attack with low-quality framing and please do your best for the Minji generation."
Other netizens also expressed positive reactions such as, "It's good to try something," "It's a good idea. I should ask my son to share his opinion too," and "It's good to see the engine starting slowly. I hope he becomes a great person who gives hope to the younger generation."
However, some young people responded critically. They pointed out that Yoon's use of informal speech toward his aides in the official promotional video was inappropriate and that the artificial staging did not resonate with the youth generation.
Netizens commented, "Please stop doing things like this and show us something real. People in their 20s don't like being categorized as the MZ generation like this," "The planner has no sense," and "Even regular companies now use polite speech, so it's somehow uncomfortable to see informal speech used toward the public."
Criticism also came from within the political sphere. Kang Min-jin, leader of the Youth Justice Party, mentioned Yoon's video on her Facebook, saying, "It's not good when an older boss acts like they know everything about young subordinates by saying, 'I heard young people these days are like this.' The young people in front of you usually know better. Listening to youth opinions should start with the young people right in front of you."
She added, "The MZ generation I know generally dislikes hearing informal speech," and urged, "Please deeply consider the problems young people face and work hard to bring out good alternatives in this presidential election. Stop making baseless claims like 'feminism is the cause of low birth rates.'"
Meanwhile, the campaign is scheduled to continue until the presidential election on March 9 next year. Those with ideas related to youth policies can leave comments on Yoon's Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube channels or post on their own social media with hashtags such as 'MinjiyaButakhae.'
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