The line for a selfie with South Korea's disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol stretched around Seoul's iconic Gwanghwamun gate. Except Yoon wasn't there; it was just a picture of him. The real Yoon is in prison facing insurrection charges. But that didn't matter to the thousands of excited young men and women who had joined the rally organized by right-wing youth group Freedom University.
Spearheaded by 24-year-old student Park Joon-young, Freedom University opposes what it sees as a status quo of corrupt, left-wing South Korean governments promising much but delivering little, especially for the nation's youth. In Yoon, they have found an unlikely hero.
Yoon's political actions, particularly the declaration of martial law, have made him a symbol of defiance among the younger generation. Despite a lack of initial support, many young people are rallying behind him due to their frustrations with the current government's failure to address youth needs.
Freedom University has gained a following through effective social media campaigns and rallies across university campuses in South Korea, promoting slogans inspired by the American MAGA movement, such as Make Korea Great Again. Their rise reflects a broader trend of polarization among South Korean youth, many of whom feel abandoned by the political system.
The youth in South Korea are grappling with economic despair, with surveys indicating their pessimism about the future. This despair, coupled with a longing for better representation, has made Freedom University a beacon of hope for many, urging them to stand up and unify under a banner that asserts Korea is for Koreans. The movement challenges the status quo, inciting debate about national identity and youth rights in a changing socio-political landscape.
