Yang Yi-won Young: "'People Who Won't Even Be Alive in the Future' Remarks Are Not Ageist" (Comprehensive)

Kim Eun-kyung, Chair of the Innovation Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, made a remark at a roundtable discussion saying, "Why should people with a shorter future vote one-on-one?" which sparked controversy over 'ageism.' In defense of Kim's comment, Yang Yi-won-young, a Democratic Party lawmaker, stated, "Many of those voting now will not even be alive in that future." When this statement caused further controversy, Yang clarified, "I am not belittling older people."

On the 1st, Yang Yi-won-young introduced the full statement made by Chair Kim on her social media (SNS), saying, "Young people and children who will live longer in the future should be able to decide their future."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The full statement by Chair Kim, as introduced by Yang, is as follows.

"My second child just turned 22 years old, and when they were in either the first or second year of middle school, they asked me this question: Why do older people decide our future? They said that, considering the average life expectancy, voting should be proportional from their age to the average life expectancy. (From a middle schooler’s perspective) that sounds reasonable. But in a democratic country, it’s one person, one vote. My child said, since our future is much longer, why do people with a shorter future have the same voting power? (So I told my child) that in a democracy, everyone has one vote, so that’s not possible. I remember concluding that young people need to come out to the voting booths to express their opinions."

Yang Yi-won-young said, "It’s a valid point," adding, "Our children have no say in deciding important policies under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration that will affect life in 2050. I may not even be alive then, but I will do my best to prevent such a dystopian Korea for the sake of our children’s future."

She continued, "It’s not because I hate the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, but because they are ruining the future for all of us that I am fighting," calling it "a struggle against a political group that sells public interest and the future for private gain."

When the phrase "many of those voting now will not be alive in that future" sparked controversy, Yang posted an additional SNS message clarifying, "The expression that many of those voting now will not be alive in the future is not meant to belittle older people but was written to emphasize the need for youth political participation and to reflect on the political participation responsibilities of middle-aged and elderly generations, including myself."

She added, "I don’t know if I will be alive in 2050, but for the future my child will live in, I will do my best to prevent the dystopian Korea being created by the current Yoon Suk-yeol administration. Someday, a future without us will unfold before our children, and all we can do is work hoping that their future will be better than now."