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1/THREAD, that I may continue later.
Having been shall we say mildly "involved" in Chon Dae Hyop전대협 to different degrees at different periods of my undergrad edu, a couple things come to mind as fmr CDH leadership increasingly takes center stage. https://twitter.com/freekorea_us/status/1126304913724723200
Having been shall we say mildly "involved" in Chon Dae Hyop전대협 to different degrees at different periods of my undergrad edu, a couple things come to mind as fmr CDH leadership increasingly takes center stage. https://twitter.com/freekorea_us/status/1126304913724723200
2/ Chon Dae Hyop was never a monolith, esp not in the early years. Important to note because it changed as the pro-NK types co-oped it gradually over time. Early on it was entirely possible be active in the student mvmnt and take pride in CDH while being critical of NK.
3/Which is not to say the whole culture of pro-North Korean-ism wasn't pervasive.Vividly remember some of my seonbaes doing study groups to teach us underlings the official NK underlying philosophy on things like why deification of Kim Il Sung was good & necessary for The Minjok.
4/But in the late 80s there was enough room for non-pro-NK types, whether Marx-reading orthodox socialists, reasonable people who just saw NK for what it was, or whatever. There was more balance. This does NOT mean I've any doubt our CDH elected presidents weren't leaning pro-NK.
5/When ppl say Im Jong Seok was part of a juche study group, my first reaction is, "Well sheesh, who wasn't?" Tens of thousands of ppl now responsible members of South Korean society did, too, not least b/c flirting w NK was a middle class way to be woke w/o being pro-labor.
6/Even into the very early 90s it was still not unreasonable to be so tired of the lies & propaganda the SK government taught you - especially in high school - that you at least started deprogramming your brainwashed head with flirtatiousness with NK,
7/Among other things this means there are a lot of people who were very pro-NK in the late 80s and early 90s who dabbed in it b/c it was the biggest thing going and neutral & objective info on NK wasn't available and NK made you feel proud to be Korean, but grew out of it laters.
8/ Someone being pro-North back in the early Chon Dae Hyop years vs being genuinely/actively pro-NK now are entirely different things. In 2019 you've no excuse not to know better.
9/ In 1989 or so any big national gathering of Chon Dae Hyop and you'd sing a mixture of pro-Nk-ish songs of about the Glorious Minjok and also songs from the labor mvmnt and "people's democracy" (pd/민중민주) camp. Lip service was paid to ideological diversity.
10/But the pro-NK/NL(national liberation,민족민주) mofos were on the move, and their co-opting of Chon Dae Hyop came to fruition when it was transformed in name & structure to become Han Chong Nyeon한총련 in 93, which then stopped even pretending to not be NL-istic in 1995 or so.
10+/ (I mean, this right here says it all: "(한총련) 표어는 1993년 창립시에는 '생활, 학문, 투쟁의 공동체'였으며 1995년에 '민족의 운명을 개척하는 불패의 애국대오'로 변경")
https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%EB%8C%80%ED%95%99%EC%B4%9D%ED%95%99%EC%83%9D%ED%9A%8C%EC%97%B0%ED%95%A9)
https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%EB%8C%80%ED%95%99%EC%B4%9D%ED%95%99%EC%83%9D%ED%9A%8C%EC%97%B0%ED%95%A9)
11/ In closing (for the time being):
(1) Chon Dae Hyop was not, or not always, a "pro-North" org. There weren't "members." If your univ was part of it, you were. Some, *myself included,* actively and formally worked in various CDH depts w/o being pro-NK.
(1) Chon Dae Hyop was not, or not always, a "pro-North" org. There weren't "members." If your univ was part of it, you were. Some, *myself included,* actively and formally worked in various CDH depts w/o being pro-NK.
12/
(2) Chon Dae Hyop's presidents were all at very least probably highly sympathetic towards NK. However, that would NOT be as crazy as it would today. IMO,also question of when in CDH or HCN's history they were president. Later, then more pro-NK. AND possible to grow out of it.
(2) Chon Dae Hyop's presidents were all at very least probably highly sympathetic towards NK. However, that would NOT be as crazy as it would today. IMO,also question of when in CDH or HCN's history they were president. Later, then more pro-NK. AND possible to grow out of it.
13/
(3) That someone was "part of a juche study group" by itself doesn't mean a whole lot. If rumors Im Jong Seok was involved in a petrol bomb attack on US embassy (or amb residence, or wherever?) are true, then that would be significant. As would more details of study group.
(3) That someone was "part of a juche study group" by itself doesn't mean a whole lot. If rumors Im Jong Seok was involved in a petrol bomb attack on US embassy (or amb residence, or wherever?) are true, then that would be significant. As would more details of study group.
14/
(4) The same anglophone international media covering South Korea that told you it was "historic" that KJU and MJI hugged each other understandably doesn't have the memory or ability to write well about the past lives of SK politicians. So read reports with care.
(4) The same anglophone international media covering South Korea that told you it was "historic" that KJU and MJI hugged each other understandably doesn't have the memory or ability to write well about the past lives of SK politicians. So read reports with care.
15/ So while I certainly agree with @freekorea_us point that journos need to be aware of & look into Lee In Young's past, whatever that may be, I don't agree Chon Dae Hyop was "violent" and pro-NK in 87, at least not in a way you felt as part of it. https://twitter.com/freekorea_us/status/1126304913724723200
16/ Should add I’m still entirely open to believing CDH leaders were personally involved in attacking US missions. If US wants to deny one a visa (for expl) based on old intel/police reports, that’s totally legit. But mere history of leadership in CDH doesn’t cut it for me.
17/DISCLAIMER:(1) I wasn't some insider. Was "involved" inasmuch as I was called on when needed, like interfacing w int'l media, as were MANY. (2) Wife just finished my thought: "Early vs late stage was very [different]" & she was never involved. Nothing I'm saying is insightful.
