Citizen Group Visits Chungam High School to Gift Homemade Pulppang
Includes Support Message "It's Not Your Fault"
"We Want to Show There Are Many Good Adults"
A civic group visited Chungam High School in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, and made and gifted Pulppang. Photo by Yonhap News
Students at Chungam High School in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, who suffered verbal abuse following the December 3 martial law incident, were supported by a local civic group that prepared pulppang (Korean sweet pancakes) for them.
According to a report by Yonhap News on the 19th, activists from the local civic group 'Seodaemun Village Net' held an event the previous day to distribute pulppang to Chungam High School students. About ten residents busily made the pulppang from early morning and handed them to the students, conveying their comfort and encouragement. In one corner of the classroom, supportive messages such as "We cheer for you who will shine unchanged" and "Chungam High School students, it is not your fault" were displayed. Jo Hyun, the team leader of Seodaemun Village Net who prepared the event, said, "I wanted to let the children know that there are not only bad adults around us, but more people with positive mindsets."
Chungam High School, Eungam-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. The building on the left is Chungam Middle School. Photo by Heo Young-han
Earlier, Chungam High School students were unfairly criticized when figures known as the 'Chungam faction,' including former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, were identified as key figures in the martial law incident. On the 10th, the Chungam High School student council stated on social media, "The government's declaration of emergency martial law was a wrongful act that plunged the Republic of Korea into chaos. The citizens' anger over the December 3 incident is something the Chungam High School student council fully empathizes with," but added, "The president and the controversial figures graduated from Chungam High School over 40 years ago. They are merely alumni who briefly passed through Chungam High School as part of their educational duty and have no connection to current students."
They continued, "Since the incident, there have been ongoing reports of verbal abuse toward students in uniform, threats of employment disadvantages, and protest calls to the school office," appealing, "Current students have no relation to the president or the controversial figures and are innocent." They also stated, "Students have been carrying out student self-governance as community members with the support of teachers and the school, freely expressing their opinions and striving to practice the values of a democratic society," and earnestly requested, "Please stop blaming Chungam High School students and help them safely dream and pursue their futures."
On the same day, Kim Mi-kyung, mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, expressed concern on social media, saying, "Students in uniform are being mocked on the streets, and school buses bearing the Chungam emblem are struggling to operate," adding, "The use of Chungam's name in acts that tarnish democracy deeply wounds the children." She further stated, "Our district office is taking this situation seriously," and added, "We will provide counseling for students through the district's psychological support program (Maeum On) and protect the children from external threats through the heads of institutions council."
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