|
South Korea STUDENTS IN 1980
While professional politicians engaged in the struggle for
realignment, college students were restless for action. The
students initially were concerned with campus affairs. As soon as
the new semester began in March 1980, students on various
campuses began to demand the removal of professors with close
ties to the Park regime, and of university owner-presidents who
had amassed fortunes by operating their institutions. They also
demanded autonomy from government control. The students held
rallies and on-campus demonstrations and in some cases occupied
college offices. As a result of the unrest, many university
presidents resigned.
In early May 1980, however, the students' slogans began to
change. Students demanded that martial law be lifted immediately
and that the "remnants of the yusin system," including
Chun, be removed. They also demanded the guarantee of labor
rights, the removal of "compradore capital," and the protection
of farmers' rights. Although student demonstrations had been
confined to their campuses when the issues raised concerned
institutional matters, they how began to spill out into the
streets.
The massive demonstrations by the students continued until
May 16, when Premier Sin Hyon-hwak promised that the government
would attempt to speed up the process of adopting a new
constitution. Ch'oe even shortened his Middle Eastern trip by a
day and returned home on the evening of May 17. Student
demonstrations paralyzed the nation and sent politicians and
government leaders to their council meetings. According to an
unconfirmed report, Sin even offered his resignation to the
president upon his return and advised the president to remove
Chun.
Data as of June 1990
|
