IMF, Neo-liberalism and student movement in Korea
0. Prologue
First of all, I would like to express my great honor to meet the comrades,
here gathered from all over the world, fighting against the neo-liberalism
and defending humane life towards 'better tomorrow'.
I would like to discuss about two themes now. one is the rapid change on the
various parts of society- the change that is so called neo liberalism- that
is taking place in korea since the economic crisis which have shown violent
aggression by the capital towards the common people. And the other is of
course how we plan to fight that monster. I will explain the problems student
movement in korea face today and the plans we have to fight against the
government, imperialistic-monopolistic capitalism in korea. But before we get
to the main point, I feel a brief sketch of the history of korean student
movement would be helpful to set common grounds for our discussion.
1. Student movement in S.Korea and the National Student Committee for peoples
political advance.
The student movement in korea began from the early part of 20th century as
communist movement closely linked to independence movement against the
japanese imperialism. And through mid 70's student movement emerged as the
outpost in fight against the military dictatorship as it organized itself as
small secret under circles and It grew to mass movement to the 80's. The
turning point occurred in 1980 when the military government brutally
eradicated the Kwang-ju peoples revolution. From that point student movement
armed itself with the scientific theory as Marx-Leninism, Maoism rapidly
inflowed. During this period student movement led the fight for democracy and
thus gained massive support of the people and organized self-governing
student union nation wide called Jun-Dae-Hyup(which means National Student
President Table). It included 200 universities nation wide.
[National Student Conference of solidarity for the peoples political advance]
is now on its third year and it is organizing political, idealogical strife
against the neo-liberalism in korea. We fight for human rights and lead anti
neo liberalism campaign to warn the menace of the capitalism. we consciously
seek for solidarity with the working class to strengthen peoples political
power.
2. The changes that has taken place by the adjustment under the IMF: students
rights to work and to get education
Our movement take great interest in analyzing the fluctuating conditions of
the mass of people. To organize struggle against capitals aggression and thus
gain wide scoped mass of resistant subjects, it is vital to interpret the
social suppression and exploitation by capitalism in specific political
actions. in other words our prime interests are in analyzing what social
situation are people(students) are now, as the restructuring of various parts
of the society reveals the contradictions of the decadent capitalism and find
the key word for mass movement.
2-1. Restructuring of labor market
The economic crisis of the capitalism which results from overproduction,
overlapping investment, indicates that pursuit of profit by selling
productive goods is now at the limit. capitals move for successful escape
headed for so called 'casino-capitalism' as we face today. The conversion to
massive speculative capital, gigantic merger, and globalization of the
capital resulted major changes on the uncertain capitalism at the end of 20th
century showing many signs of crisis world wide. Each state prescribe this
situation as 'the crisis of national economy' and pushes forward with many
measures supporting capitals interest to move freely and control more. Such
measures are 'restructuring of labor market' and in attack on civil rights
and democracy in the name of strenghning national competitiveness.
Since Korean economy went under the guidance of IMF resturing of labor market
caused rapid change. Capital's interest to reduce production cost and to gain
more control of labor management was strongly supported as the new
government(Dae-jung Kim) took steps such as legalization of mass lay-offs and
flexible labor hours-system. Massive increase of unemployment and part time
workers followed as result and instability of employment is became every ones
concern and threatening right to live. These change is also projected in the
educational reform(?)s the government is carrying out nowdays. As the capital
is interested in getting more competitive and obedient man power, higher
education system is forced to change itself to a huge vocational traing
course. To make matters worse responsibility of state to establish good
educational enviroment is totaly ignored, instead students are forced to pay
more money for 'better education'(?). These reforms on management of labor
market and education is two important evidence that shows the exploitation of
neo liberalism in Korea.
2-2. Reorganizing the education as capital want it to be
The pupose of education is deteriorated into producing competitive human
resources for capital and the principles of market rules the lecture
platform. People are realizing that this change of higher education we face
today is closely linked to restructuring of industry.
The spirit of inquiry towards knowledge, the spirit of assuming critical
attitude towards the actual world, the spirit to open and share its knowledge
with the common people has no ground to stand now. Instead universities is
changing itself into big enterprise(often considered as service industry)
only interested in making more money and produce 'good quality guranteed(?)'
man power for capital. And government is cutting of its financial support and
students are told that they are consumers in market of education. This
undisguised nonsense is not finished. The studies such as human culture,
philosophy, religion, literature are disregarded and pratical knowledge and
technical education takes the most part of the curriculums now. This is
causing serious imbalance on intellectual ground and forces education deeper
into the capitals' control.
Characteristics in current educational reform
1) neglection of pure, basic studies such as cultural studies and thus
resulting in deformed curriculum which is seriously unbalanced to practical,
technical education.
2) Government led restruction deprives the mass people(students) of chance to
speak out. All decisions are made behind the curtains between bureaucrats and
small number of officials which is essentially destructing the democracy
people fought through 80's.
3) Responsibility of government to protect and support people's right to get
educated abandoned. Causing heavy financial burden to people and infringement
to public welfare.
4) Finally current ranked system between universities will be strengthened
thus resulting social unequality.
The actual results that took place as the result of educational reforms
1) As government puts pressure on educational institutions that have
financial problems, they are forced into endless and self destructive race to
survive in the market. Universities are runned like an enterprise.
2) Current policy on education solidifies the social unequality by the
diffrence of the intellectuality. Small number of so called 'competitive'
schools get most of the governments financial support so the gap between good
university and bad university will continue to grow wider, eventually
resulting grading a person by the rank of school(This is serious problem with
getting a decent job)
3) As competition between students get intensified(to get good grades and
good job) the solidarity and political unity becomes hard to gain. At massive
lay-offs and uncertainty of future students adjust themselves to the
capital's logicsand choose to fight each other way to get admission to the
society.
In this conditions student movement Korea is facing turning point. Stay in
the isolated forge will not be the answer. We will expose the barbaric sides
of capitalism by political actions and strengthen the solidarity with the
fighting people. That includes workers fighting for their labor, women
fighting for sexual equality, comrades fighting for protection of environment
etc.
3. Problems that student movement face
1) Fighting for right to work and to get educated
To organize mass strife against neo-liberalism we have to set forth the
political vision on the conflicts that is taking with the restructuring of
economy. Criticizing the government and the capitals for the massive lay-offs
and fighting for more work and social welfare is very important issue we have
to fight together with the workers.
And student movement could organize itself with the demands for better
education and work. And besides the issue fighting we have to plan
ideological/political/cultural experiments like making our own curriculum
courses, opening its intellectual assets to the public interest to change the
function of the university.
2) Movement for peace
There is always possibility of war in Korean peninsula as you know, recent
military conflict that has occured north and south vessels show the high
military tensions we face. We plan to fight for the peace in Korean peninsula
by organizing campaign for reduction of arms and strengthening of interchange
between north and south. Also we think international campaign against the
unfair military intervention
3) Fight for democracy and human rights
The national security law still exists in Korea and it is used to oppress our
movement and our thoughts. Our fight for democracy cannot end. Fighting to
protect the social minority and extend the human rights is itself peoples
democracy.
4. Neo-Millenium, Neo-International!
At the twilight years of 20th century we are facing total barbarism and
violence against the human race. Neo Liberalism- that cannot be the blueprint
for new millenium. So the fighting people against the suppression and
exploitation will continue and so will the solidarity of the people. Korean
students will be there with the clenched fist. Good luck all.
by Byung-Do Jung(National Student Committee for People's political advance)
* This paper was presented at the ATTAC International Conference held in
Paris, Jun.1999.
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