Prominent figures join ‘half-price tuition’ demonstrations

Posted on : 2011-06-03 13:47 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
The support revived the demonstrations stymied by police arrests
 June 2. (Photo by Kang Chang-kwang)
June 2. (Photo by Kang Chang-kwang)

By Lim Ji-sun 

 

A number of well-known figures made an appearance at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square at 8 p.m. Thursday in support of the university students holding a candlelight vigil demonstration in favor of “half-price tuition.” Among them were TV personality Kim Je-dong, actors Kim Yoh-jin and Kwon Hae-hyo, singer Park Hye-kyung, and film director Yeo Kyun-dong. Each of them was sitting on the ground holding a candle. One by one, they began opening up plastic bags filled with fried chicken that Yeo had brought over.

“To all the university students suffering in your struggle: have some chicken!”

As soon as the words were out of Yeo’s mouth, a crowd of candle-bearing students poured in from the surrounding area. The same students have been carrying on nightly assemblies for half-price university tuition at Gwanghwamun Square since May 30. The night just before, around 500 students crowded onto the square carrying candles.

Beginning on Thursday, a group of people in their 30s declared their participation for the sake of the students who have been waging a lonely struggle, unruffled by mass roundups by police. Their participation is not through any particular civic organization. Among those showing their solidarity are leading lights in various fields, including not only singers and actors but also KS Economic Research Institute Vice Director Sun Dae-in, SungKongHoe University Professor Tak Hyeon-min, KAIST Professor Jeong Jae-seung, wrestler and sports commentator Kim Nam-hoon, and journalists Min Im Dong-gi, Park Dae-yong, and Go Jae-yeol.

“On Wednesday evening, likeminded people in their 30s got together and talked about how we might be able to help out these students who are waging a difficult struggle on the tuition issue,” said Tak. “We finally agreed to start by taking part in assemblies through June 11.”

“After we notified people of this through social networking services like Twitter, groups of people not only in their thirties but also in their forties and fifties expressed their interest in participating,” Tak added.

Actress Kim Yoh-jin, who held a one-person demonstration for half-price tuition on May 14, said,

“Although expensive tuition is not an issue just for university students, and it was gratifying to see them taking the initiative.”

“As for what people senior to them can do, I think they can do things like packing meals and hanging around offering their support,” Kim added.

Actor Kwon Hae-hyo, who attended the gathering after a miniseries shoot that lasted through the evening, said, “I hope more citizens will show an interest in what the students are saying.”

Park Hye-kyung sent a message of resolution through Twitter on Thursday, saying, “If my looks don‘t work, I will help out with my singing voice.”

Song Sang-hun, a 27-year-old student who has taken part in a number of assemblies for half-price tuition, said, “I’m so thankful that people are lending their support at a time when we were worried about how we might carry on with our assemblies.”

“As word has gotten out about their participation, more universities and students have been asking about taking part in the assemblies,” Song added.

  

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