Recently, acts of violence by right-wing forces have been incessant on university campuses in South Korea. They are inflicting violence on students demanding the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, and even resorting to sexual harassment and personal attacks, turning campuses into places of fear. This is not a simple disturbance, but a serious problem that cannot be tolerated in a democratic society.
On the 26th, at Ewha Womans University, right-wing forces stormed the campus, wreaking havoc by assaulting students and hurling profanities. At a protest press conference on the 28th, a victim student testified that she was grabbed by the collar by a right-wing YouTuber and subjected to sexual harassment and personal attacks. Furthermore, at Sungkyunkwan University, former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn appeared at an anti-impeachment rally, causing clashes between students.
Although anti-impeachment rallies by right-wing student groups continue at various universities, their voices are a tiny minority. The situation is worsening as external right-wing forces join in, and they are creating an atmosphere of fear by wielding violence on campuses. This is unacceptable in a democratic country, and the transformation of university campuses into stages for political violence must never be tolerated.
University authorities and the police must no longer stand idly by in the face of these violent incidents. In the Ewha Womans University incident, the school failed to properly control the entry of outsiders and did not request prior cooperation from the police. This was an excessively complacent response, and school authorities must strongly condemn the violence and take legal action. The police must also thoroughly investigate and severely punish the acts of violence.
University campuses should be spaces where students can freely express their opinions and engage in discussions. The violence of right-wing forces severely infringes on this freedom and undermines the foundations of democracy. University authorities and the police must take firm measures to ensure the safety of campuses and the freedom of students.
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