Teaching democracy and erasing the declaration of the state of affairs? How far do students participate in politics?

[Anchor]
Many teenagers were among the citizens who poured into the square after the emergency martial law incident.

Teenagers are actively expressing political opinions, but on the contrary, one school had them delete the declaration of the situation posted on social media.

Support and concerns are intersecting over students' participation in politics. I'm reporter Yeom Hye-won.

[Reporter]
Students who came to the rally to call for impeachment with K-pop cheering sticks are as determined as adults.

He criticizes the government by citing what he learned at school, saying that emergency martial law suddenly popped out of the textbook.

[Busan High School Girl / 'Sound of Busan' YouTube (last 8th): My friends and I who learned the history of democracy at school five months ago were angry. Looking at the current situation where democracy, separation of powers, and the responsibility of the head of state is not kept at all in the textbook. What if the president doesn't know the separation of powers over the senior year of high school, how can this be?]

Under the current law, people over the age of 18 can vote as well as run, and can join a political party from the age of 16.

Students emphasize that they are clearly the subjects of political participation.

More than 50,000 students signed the declaration,
According to the analysis of the
mobile phone connection data, there were more teenagers than in their 60s at the rally in front of the National Assembly on the day of the impeachment motion.

[Swimming / Youth Human Rights Action Activist Asunaro (last 10th): Youths holding the resignation square and demanding the impeachment and punishment of the Yoon Suk Yeol is not a practice for the future, but for changing society and living a better life here and now]

However, there are many voices opposing students' participation in politics.

A high school in Seoul made students erase the state of affairs declaration they posted on social media.

The school rules that allowed for political involvement to be expelled up to the maximum was the basis.

It was explained that it was a measure to protect students, but it was controversial that these school rules still remained.

[Lee Joo-ho / Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education (last 18th): Students can also exercise their right to vote and engage in party activities. So we'll tell you that we'll continue our policy in that regard.]

A society that allows students to participate in voting, but puts conservative standards on expressing political opinions.

It is time to discuss the right direction of political education.

I'm Yum Hyewon of YTN.



Video editing: Ahn Hong-hyun

Design: Lee Eun

Courtesy of Busan:Sound of Busan YouTube