Hanchongnyon

Hanchongnyon (Hanguk Daehak Chonghaksaenghoi ryonhap), also known as the Confederation of Korean Students’ Union[1] or the South Korean Federation of University Students Councils,[2] is a pro-North Korea[3] leftist student organization in South Korea. In particular, it condemns the continued presence of the United States Forces Korea (USFK), which it sees as a humiliating vestige of U.S. imperialism and advocates on behalf of Korean reunification. Hanchongnyon is widely known for its effort to overturn the South Korean state, mainly through demonstrations.

Hanchongnyon
Hangul
한총련
Hanja
韓總聯
Revised RomanizationHanchongnyeon
McCune–ReischauerHanch'ongnyŏn
South Korean Federation of University Students Councils
Hangul
한국대학총학생회연합
Hanja
韓國大學總學生會聯合
Revised RomanizationHan-guk daehak chonghaksaenghoe yeonhap
McCune–ReischauerHan'guk taehak ch'onghaksaenghoe ryŏnhap

History

Its main headquarters were Korea University (Seoul) and Chonnam University (Gwangju). The ideological roots of the organisation can be traced to the mid-1980's, when radical students and intellectuals had become increasingly aware of the North Korean Juche ideology, some of whom reacted to it favorably and began to agitate in favor of the North and against the traditional pro-American South Korean state. It was organized in early 1993[4] as a realignment of the Jeondaehyop (전대협) student organization, a leftist student group that was formed by activists in the National Liberation faction (민족해방) of the South Korean student movement.

In August 1996, a Hanchongnyon protest was held at Yonsei University, where harsh criticisms were levied against then-president Kim Young-sam. The students also voiced support for North Korea's preferred policies in regards to reunification and inter-Korean relations. After the North began to use the demonstration as part of its own state propaganda, the Kim government forcefully dispersed the demonstration. As a result, one policeman died and hundreds on both sides were injured before police finally raided the campus building and detained 3,500 protestors. Most were released from the police stations the next day but 280 were formally arrested and charged for violating the National Security Act and other statues. Kim vowed to root out pro-North radicals from universities and held a meeting with 300 university administrators to discuss methods to do so.[5] The move was not without controversy, with some drawing comparisons to the 1980 Gwangju Uprising.[6]

It was criminalized under the National Security Act in 1999 for alleged pro-North Korean activities. The North Korea-based Pomchonghakryon considers the Hanchongnyon as its southern headquarters.

As the Soviet Union collapsed and the North Korean famine occurred, many of the North-friendly groups lost popularity, and many activists later stated they became more skeptical towards North Korea.[7]

See also

References
  1. Kim, Taewoo (2003). "PERCEPTIONS OF NORTH KOREA AND POLARIZATION OF ROK SOCIETY". Recalibrating the U.s.-Republic of Korea Alliance: 137–158.
  2. Summary of World Broadcasts: Asia, Pacific. British Broadcasting Corporation. 1997.
  3. "Hanchongryun leader allowed to visit North". Korea JoongAng Daily.
  4. KOREA), Presidential Truth Commission on Suspicious Deaths (Republic of Korea) (2004-09-30). A HARD JOURNEY TO JUSTICE: First Term Report by the Presidential Truth Commission on Suspicious Deaths of the Republic of Korea. 길잡이미디어.
  5. Koh, B. C. (1997). "South Korea in 1996: Internal Strains and External Challenges". Asian Survey. 37 (1): 1–9. doi:10.2307/2645768. ISSN 0004-4687. JSTOR 2645768.
  6. COTTON, JAMES (1997). "Mixed Signals on Korean Security". Contemporary Southeast Asia. 18 (4): 400–416. doi:10.1355/CS18-4D. ISSN 0129-797X. JSTOR 25798355.
  7. "Moon's chief of staff takes center stage in inter-Korean detente". 15 February 2018 – via www.reuters.com.
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