"20s and 30s Have Developed a Democratized and Advanced Social Awareness"
Strong Criticism Also Comes from People Power Party
Lee Nakyeon, Senior Advisor of the New Future Democratic Party, directly addressed former Cho Kuk Innovation Party leader Cho Kuk, who had mentioned the "far-right shift among people in their 20s and 30s," by stating, "The 20s and 30s generation especially values fairness in process." This is interpreted as a defense of the unique generational perspective shaped by the era in which the 20s and 30s generation grew up, while at the same time criticizing Cho Kuk's remarks.
On August 30, Lee wrote on social media, "If you want to talk about the 20s and 30s, you must first look at the special historical context," and explained, "The 20s and 30s generation was born and raised in the era that marked the beginning of the post-Cold War period." He went on to say, "Domestically, it was an era of democratization and advancement," emphasizing, "We should see the 20s and 30s as having developed the consciousness of a democratized, advanced society."
Earlier that day, Cho Kuk shared an article titled "Young People in Seoul Who Are Well-Off Are Far-Right" on social media, following his argument about the "far-right shift among young people in their 20s and 30s." In an interview with the media on August 22, he addressed the fact that opposition to his pardon and reinstatement was particularly high among the 20s and 30s generation, saying, "If asked, I am willing to apologize again," but also stating, "Men in their 20s and 30s show tendencies similar to those in their 70s, so-called far-right tendencies." This prompted criticism in some circles, questioning whether the younger generation's criticism of issues such as admissions corruption was being blamed on a supposed far-right shift among men in their 20s and 30s.
Cho Kuk, head of the Innovation Policy Research Institute of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, who advocated the '2030 Youth Far-Right Theory.' Cho Kuk Facebook
In response to the claim of a far-right shift among the 20s and 30s generation, Lee stated, "However, economically, the era of contraction has tightened its grip on the 20s and 30s," and explained, "Unlike the era of expansion, where you could still secure your share even if you lost in competition, in the era of contraction, opportunities have decreased and the overall pie has shrunk." He continued, "Because it has become harder to secure your share if you lose in competition, fairness in the process has become extremely important. If the process is fair, people must accept the outcome of competition, but if the process is not fair, it becomes difficult to accept the result. It is inevitable that this consciousness has become especially strong among the 20s and 30s generation."
Joo Jinwoo, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, also sharply criticized Cho Kuk, head of the Innovation Policy Research Institute of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, for his argument about the "far-right shift among some young people," saying, "After all that reflection in prison, is blaming the youth for being far-right the best you could come up with?" On August 31, Joo targeted Cho Kuk, who had shared an article titled "The Higher the Economic Status of Young People Living in Seoul, the Higher the Probability They Are Far-Right," by stating on social media, "Ruining young people's lives with admissions corruption and then blaming the youth is typical of Cho Kuk."
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