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STUDENTS

The Kwangju uprising and the barbaric and dastardly manner in which it was suppressed has left a lasting impression of dissatisfaction and protest on the student community. This has resulted in increased militancy and determinance to fight against the military dictatorship of President Chun Doo Hwan.

The basic demands of the students amongst others are the restoration of democratic processes; freedom of speech, association, assembly and press; right of labour and peasants to form unions; restoration of academic freedom; stopping the regime's present policy of economic dependency; reunification through genuine democratisation, end to arbitrary arrests under the National Security Law and of the Law on Assembly and Demonstration; withdrawal of the proposed Campus Stabilization Law; autonomy for educational institutions; and putting an end to torture committed by the State security forces.

The methods employed by students to raise their demands have been peaceful. For example, at the trial of the students arrested for sit-in at the United States Information Service, the female students while attending the trial wore violet couloured scarfs to signify love and peace; the sit-in organized at the office of the Council for Promotion of Democracy to protest against unjust government action meted out to two opposition parliamentarians who visited the campus; shouting anti-government slogans or distributing leaflets etc. In cases of obstruction of peaceful demonstrations by the security forces, the students have retaliated in acts of self-defence.

On October 7, the EFFT visited Seoul National University Campus. The students gathered for a mammoth assembly denouncing the policies of the IMF and IBRD in Korea. At the end of the assembly these students held a demonstration and planned to march down to the city streets to voice their protest against the policy of IMF and IBRD. But they were blocked at the campus gates by well shielded riot police who fired tear gas cannisters to disperse the demonstration. The students in return threw stones and moltov cocktails at the police.

The EFFT was informed by the students that in keeping with the norms of maintaining the sanctity of the campus the police never enter it. However, on that particular day the riot police while attempting to push

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back the student demonstrators did enter the campus premises. This was seen by the students as yet another step by the authorities to interfere with the autonomy of the educational institutions.

The ruling Democratic Justice Party which feels pushed by the students is reacting with strong-arm tactics. The regime realises that it lacks moral and legal justification to be in power and therefore suppresses all opposition. Its main strength lies in the fact that it is heavily under-girded by physical and moral support of the United States of America. Its economic dependence on international financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank makes it extremely vulnerable to the policy dictates of these institutions which normally do not coincide with the interests of the Korean people. Consequently, all government policies are handed top down with no real participation of the people. The students realize this and resent the interference of the United States. It is generally felt that the Kwangju massacre would never have taken place without the active connivance of the American Commander in Korea. The government in desperation to control the students is trying to undermine relationships between student and other organisations and groups such as those of workers and peasants; it is at the same time undercutting the judicial process by pressurizing the judiciary. University professors told the EFFT that an atmosphere of fear prevails at the campus.

Another method adopted by the government to undermine and divide the student community is to promote conservative Christian groups like the Campus Crusade for Christ and the University Bible Fellowship. Until 1974 the students could organise student councils which were autonomous organisations. However, since 1974 this has been banned and the government has set up the Student Defence Corps instead, whose Advisory Committee Chairperson is the Minister for Education.