San Francisco Frontiers - South Korea's Gen-Z divided over political crisis

A divide has emerged among South Korea's youth since Yoon Suk Yeol declared a bungled martial law decree last month and hunkered down at his residence resisting arrest.

On one side, young conservative men -- including evangelical Christians and those who openly support US President-elect Donald Trump -- are railing against his impeachment.

On the other, young women and supporters of liberal causes like the LGBTQ+ community, climate justice and labour rights are calling for his immediate detention.

"I think the (gender) conflict already existed but it became more visible as Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment issue arose," said Shin.

"I think women are more sensitive to social disasters and discrimination. Men in their 20s and 30s, even though they are in the same generation, have always disagreed" that gender discrimination exists, added the 29-year-old.

Yoon's move has widened the country's polarised politics and pitted Gen-Z Koreans on both sides of the divide massing on the streets of capital Seoul in sub-zero temperatures.

The anti-Yoon side has been largely represented at protests by a diverse group of liberal-leaning young people.

It has included K-pop fans, gamers, and feminist groups, along with quirky flags that read "introverts" and even an "orchid society".

"As someone who supports sexual minorities, I think that the reason so many of them are coming out to the impeachment rally is because they want to create a better society," student Song Min-ji, 21, told AFP.

- 'White Skull Squad' -

But while some Korean youth are trying to spread their liberal values and a lot of Yoon's extreme supporters appear to be elderly retirees, he also has a group of young defenders who are causing concern.

Last week a far-right youth group held a press conference in parliament where it named its sub-unit "Baekgoldan" or "White Skull Squad".

The name refers to a unit that cracked down on pro-democracy protesters in the 1980s and 1990s, including some deadly beatings.

If the investigators move "forward with executing an arrest warrant for the president or deploy special police units, it could potentially lead to a civil war-like situation," its leader Kim Jung-hyun said at a highly controversial press conference in parliament last week.

"In such an unstable environment, the risk of foreign intervention or extreme social chaos could increase."

Shin said the young men were becoming more extreme -- including a group "that even advocates martial law".

Others said the presser had left them in despair, unable to know how they could converse with others in their generation who have such different worldviews.

"It really feels like we've reached a new low. It makes me angry. I feel overwhelmed," said Noh Min-young, a 20-year-old student.

"Ultimately, they are members of our society... yet our perspectives seem so vastly different."

The right-wing protesters have also heavily used South Korean and American flags, along with imagery of Trump, to convey their nationalist view that the opposition is in cahoots with North Korea.

Banners and placards have included Trumpesque slogans like 'Make Korea Great Again!" and "Stop the Steal!"

- Men for Yoon -

Yoon is himself accused of capitalising on the fears of young men.

He courted them on the 2022 election campaign trail with denials of institutional discrimination against women and promises to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality, which his supporters claimed was "outdated".

Exit polls after that vote showed Yoon won the election with approximately 58 percent of ballots from men in their 20s.

Meanwhile his liberal rival, opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, garnered the same percentage of votes from women in their 20s.

Experts say Yoon has used the support of young men for his own political survival, while dismissing the importance of young women.

"He recognised that it would be difficult to gain their (women's) support, so he treated them as if they didn't exist from the beginning," said Kwon Soo-hyun, sociology professor at Gyeongsang National University.

"Economic instability acts as a key driver pushing young people toward conservatism," she added, saying Yoon's administration has tried to blame "women influenced by feminism" and migrants.

While a gap between South Korea's Gen-Z clearly already existed, the protracted political crisis has made it more entrenched.

"When talking about politics with my friends, no matter how much I tell them the truth, they don't listen," said Yang Ui-bin, 25, holding a "Stop the Steal" sign.

"So, we naturally become distant."

Y.Gomez--SFF