S. Korean students to hold “School Strike and Demonstration for Climate” in Gwanghwamun Square

Posted on : 2019-09-26 17:00 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Say government continues to “threaten our future” by ignoring “seriousness and urgency” of climate change

“An enormous human catastrophe is not far away.” This is the warning from scientists, who predict that a rise of 1.5°C in the global temperature compared to the industrialization era (1850–1900) could lead to a “climate disaster,” while a rise of 2°C or more could leave humankind facing “irreversible catastrophe.” The amount of carbon humans could potentially use to avoid a climate disaster is enough to last just 10 years of so – meaning that without a drastic reduction in carbon use, humankind is certain to face a climate catastrophe by the year 2030.

The reason young South Koreans are planning to forgo their classes to take to the streets on Sept. 27 comes down to “survival.” On Sept. 10, the Hankyoreh met four activists from the group Youth for Climate Action at the Seoul NPO Center. Kim Seo-gyeong, Kim Yu-jin, Oh Yeon-jae, and Kim Bo-rim said they could “not envision what things will look like for us by the year 2030,” lamenting that people “seem still not to be aware of the crisis, even as humankind could be rendered extinct.” Around 40 young people are currently active in the Youth for Climate Action group.

Kim Yu-jin criticized the South Korean government’s attitude in hiding behind “developing country” status to shirk its responsibilities in the climate crisis.

Oh Yeon-jae (left) and Kim Seo-gyeong (right) of the group Youth for Climate Action hold a demonstration regarding the severity of climate change in front of Hongik University Station in Seoul on Aug. 9. (provided by Youth for Climate Action)
Oh Yeon-jae (left) and Kim Seo-gyeong (right) of the group Youth for Climate Action hold a demonstration regarding the severity of climate change in front of Hongik University Station in Seoul on Aug. 9. (provided by Youth for Climate Action)

“South Korea was classified as a developing country at the time it first joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [in 1992], and that’s why it has kept that status through today,” she explained.

“It’s shameful that we don’t seem to be doing our part against the climate crisis, even when our greenhouse emissions and GDP are such that we can no longer hide behind the ‘developing country’ label,” she added.

On Mar. 15 and May 24, Youth for Climate Action staged “climate strikes” and spearheaded a boycott of classes to urge South Korea to shed its “climate offender” status. Despite the school strike and demonstrations, the media, government, and public have remained apathetic toward the climate crisis.

“The climate strike in March [with around 500 participants] came as a shock even to us,” said Kim Seo-gyeong.

“We had hoped a lot of people would come to take an interest in the climate crisis and join us, but we turned out to be quite wrong,” she explained.

“It’s been depressing to see how people remain as uninterested as before. Every time we’ve met, we’ve been hugging each other and crying,” she said.

But frustrations were not the only result. In August, members began holding a street demonstration/action titled “Climate Coming-and-Going Action ‘Ppyong,’” appearing every Saturday with signs. They felt that action was the only way they could respond to the sense of bleakness and fear surrounding imminent climate catastrophe – a desperate cry to “save the lives” of young people unable to dream of a future.

The members are now planning another large-scale climate action titled “School Strike and Demonstration for Climate” before the end of September. It’s an extension of the school strikes held in different countries around the world on Sept. 20 for the UN Climate Action Summit. Oh Jae-yang explained, “From 10 am to 3 pm on Sept. 27, we will be holding street climate change seminars, a fall athletic meet, an announcement of climate response ‘grades,’ and a demonstration with free speaking opportunity for everyone in our generation at Sejongno Park on Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul.”

“We look forward to a lot of young people, younger adults, and members of the public taking an interest and participating,” she said.

Over 300 young people call for more informative education regarding climate change in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square on May 24. (provided by Youth for Climate Action)
Over 300 young people call for more informative education regarding climate change in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square on May 24. (provided by Youth for Climate Action)

The participants that day also plan to make a trip toward the Blue House, with plans to deliver a letter to President Moon Jae-in containing messages they hope to share with him.

“Even though South Korea has never once implemented its plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, President Moon spoke at the UN Climate Action Summit on Sept. 24 as though we’ve been doing an adequate job of enforcing the Paris Agreement, saying bizarre things about ‘making days of blue skies,’” said Kim Bo-rim.

“The government continues to threaten our future while ignoring the seriousness and urgency of the situation. Now we really have no choice but to take to the streets,” Kim said.

By Choi Ye-rin, staff reporter

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]

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