FALSE COMMITMENTS

“Democratization of the economy,” “half enrolment fee for students,” “basic pension,” “women’s welfare,” “policy on the nursing of children,” “government for people,” “era of people’s happiness that gives women no worries over having and raising children and the elderly comfort, and ensures the lives and safety of people,” etc.

Commitments to “human rights” at the start of Park’s stint as the president were so shiny.

Have these commitments come into reality in south Korea right now?

According to an opinion poll by the south Korean media occasioning the second year of her term, the absolute majority of the respondents from all social strata blamed her for the “2 years of nightmare of unprecedented devastation of the commoners’ economy, undermined democracy and spoiled inter-Korean relations,” “2 years of consistent obstinacy and falsehood,” and “2 years filled with despair.”

Her commitments have gone away without leaving any traces.

The very thing she has done with an “iron will” is the revival of “Yushin” fascist dictatorship.

An appalling witch-hunting has taken place in south Korea in recent years; the United Progressive Party, a progressive political party, and Jaju Minbo, a progressive newspaper, have been forcibly banned.

Owing to her policies friendly towards conglomerates and geared to tax reduction for the rich, people’s life has deteriorated, and the unemployed numbering 15 million are wandering about on the streets. Homeless families numbering 8.5 million are living in ancient, cave-like houses―houses made of cardboards and vinyl sheets. Part-time workers, who account for two-thirds of the workforce, say their cherished dream is to have their own houses in their lifetime.

Unemployment is a more serious problem for the young people. Graduation leads to unemployment in south Korea. For them to answer to “How are you?” with such words as “Not fine for the lost hope” and “Not fine for the doubtful tomorrow” has become a fashion.

The same is the case with women. Gone is Park’s pledge to promote appointing women to public offices; women’s employment rate in public offices is almost zero. They have become objects of minimum wage and victims of sexual harassment. Giving birth to children leads them to unemployment. It is common among them to give up three things in their life―marriage, delivery to children and hope. South Korea has become a world prostitution centre with 1.25 million women engaged in prostitution. The western media denounce south Korea, calling it a “country with the lowest women’s social rank in the world” and “a world school of discrimination against women.”

A great number of parentless children are sold abroad on the pretext of “overseas adoption,” while the elderly are abandoned by their families and communities.

More and more people are leaving south Korea in search of means of survival.