South Korea’s Youth Group Supports the U.S.-ROK Alliance and the U.S. Military Presence in South Korea

The majority of South Koreans support the U.S.-ROK (Republic of Korea) alliance and the presence of the U.S. military in South Korea.  The older generation has expressed this view through their weekly flag rallies in Seoul, in which they wave both the South Korean and U.S. flags (7:40). There have also been anti-U.S. demonstrations, such as the one by the “Youth Resistance,” which occurred in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul on January 1, 2019.

An interesting development is occurring, however.  A youth group, ROK-U.S. Alliance Research Youth Committee, held a pro-U.S. rally on January 6, 2019 at Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul.  About 70 of them chanted continuously for 2 hours.

• “[South Korean government] Go ahead and provide [the increased burden share of the] defense cost for [stationing] U.S. forces [in South Korea]”
• “Resume the ROK-U.S. military exercises.”
• “We support the stationing of the U.S. troops [in South Korea].”

Some signs read:

• “We Love USA; We Need USA; We Want USA”
• “Please Stay USA”
• “President Trump, Please Help Us”
• “Give Me Liberal Democracy or Death”
• “If ‘Democratic Miracle’ brings Communism, Is it really Democracy?”

They also held a mock funeral of the “the national security of liberal [free] democracy”–indicating their concern about the degradation of the national defense and its impact on their system of liberal democracy.

Additionally, students also said the following:

• Student leader: “We must stand with the U.S.  If we are to defend [our] liberal democracy, we must maintain good relations with the U.S.  The president of the U.S. requested [South Korea] to pay twice the current defense burden sharing cost.  Is that such a difficult request?”
• Attendees:  “No, it’s not.”  
• Student leader: “Shouldn’t we be able to pay such amount to defend our national security?”
• Attendees:  “Yes, that’s right.”
• Student leader:  “But the [current] South Korean administration is requesting a discount from the U.S.  Does that even make sense?”
• Attendees:  “No, it doesn’t [make sense].”
• Student leader:  “I’m so worried about the future of the Republic of Korea.  We’re here to defend our liberal democracy. If the government is not going to defend our liberal democracy, shouldn’t we at least try to?”
• Attendees:  “Yes, that’s right.”

What is significant about this rally is that the younger generation is beginning to speak out.  It shows their genuine concern for the future of the country

2019-1-14, Tara O