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Making a Green and pleasant isleDespite election setback fledgling Green Party stays course
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¡ã Party activists are vocal on a number of issues, including animal rights. Photo courtesy Green Party Korea


The Green Party is one of many voices trying to be heard in a vibrant democracy such as Korea. It is now trying to build its base on Jeju and become a force in local and national politics.

It was established on March 4, 2012 as Green Party Korea after accruing 1000 party members in five cities - as per government rules. The party then went on to contest the 2012 elections; its 0.48 percent share of the vote, however, meant it was swiftly de-registered as a party.

The party regrouped - spokesperson Lee Gil-hun says it highlighted the “high social barriers” they must overcome - was renamed - Green Party Korea became Green Party Plus - but refused to “dilute the essence of the party.”

“We aim at...ecological wisdom, social justice, participatory and grassroots democracy, non-violence...international solidarity, and more. These values represent the philosophy that every life has equal virtue, and a happy and sustainable life on earth must be ensured,” said Lee.

Lee explains that many of the most ubiquitous features of Korean society would be reformed by the party. While their vow to challenge the “brutality of capitalism” might assign them to the margins in some quarters, other pledges should strike a chord with the middle ground, particularly in education.

“There are lots of things to be solved such as university tuition, school meals, and supporting low-income students in education...It is most important to reduce the number of students per each class,” said Lee.

The party would also reform the university entrance exam and introduce individualized assessment while “cooling” the English education fever which creates “inequality.” School would become the foundation of a more democratic society and state.

“Promoting democracy [will be ensured] in each subject within the school itself. Teachers and students would participate in the decision-making process, [a process fundamental for] building democracy.”

Lee was frank about how this was to be funded.

“It is necessary to increase taxes. The Lee Myung-bak government...took less tax from the rich. By OECD standards, our country lost about 110 trillion won in tax in 2010.”

¡ã Anti-nuclear protests. Photo courtesy Green Party Korea

The party also pledges also to end discrimination against marriage migrants and minorities, protect animal rights and limit the working week. Agricultural policy is also central to the Green platform: the party would push for FTA reform - which challenges “Korean sovereignty” - and increase support for smallholders through city-farming schemes and green farming.

While these policies don’t seem extreme, the party’s marginalization in Korea is arguably exacerbated by national and ideological division. Lee recognizes that it may be some time before their policies are taken on board.

“Society is not ready to welcome...the Green Party,” he said. “[But] we envisage that the future is on the Green Party’s side.”

Each branch of the party has complete independence - “the needs of Seoul...are entirely different from Jeju” - and, accordingly, the construction of the naval base at Gangjeong is central to the Jeju chapter’s local concerns.

“With the title “Island of Peace” we will strive to make Jeju a demilitarized island and with other organizations will conduct research and activities in the field of human rights and the environment.”

For the Green Party, these local issues are expressions of wider global problems that need to be tackled.

“The problems of denuclearization, agriculture, labor, human rights and peace...[need] to be resolved....The current natural environment is not only ours but also our descendents’ - economic growth is not as important as preserving the environment.”

To learn more about the Green Party, visit http://www.kgreens.org/english.

Darren SouthcottÀÇ ´Ù¸¥±â»ç º¸±â  
¨Ï Jeju Weekly 2009 (http://www.jejuweekly.com)
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