Younger faction criticitizing older generation over vote

In the last presidential election, two-thirds of people in their 20s and 30s voted for Moon Jae-in of the main opposition Democratic United Party. Just a third of the two age groups supported Park Geun-hye of the ruling Saenuri Party. In comparison, two-thirds of 50-somethings and older age groups backed Park and just a third of them for Moon. This is not abnormal considering the saying, “If you`re not a socialist when young, you have no heart. If you`re still a socialist when old, you have no brain.” Blaming everything on conflicting interests between different generations and creating generational conflicts are ill-advised, however.

People in their 50s this year were in their 40s in 2002. In the presidential election that year, 47.9 percent voted for then conservative candidate Lee Hoi-chang and 48.1 percent for liberal rival Roh Moo-hyun, displaying little gap in the approval ratings of the two men. In this year’s election, 62.5 percent of the same generation voted for Park and 37.4 percent for Moon. In reality, the interests of 50-somethings and 20-somethings are incompatible. Children of people in their 50s are mostly those in their 20s, and people in their 50s are naturally concerned about their children’s college tuition and employment after graduation.

People who realize the need for welfare programs just as much as the younger generation are in their 60s or older. They hardly have a young and bright future, but supported gradual introduction of welfare programs rather than more generous policies sooner rather than later. They seemed worried more about the government’s coffers and future rather than personal gains. Online posts by certain members of the younger generation blasting the elderly group rather than praising them are awash on the Internet and social network services, which is highly regrettable. Certain posts suggest that election pledges for young generation have gone up in smoke, and correspondingly welfare programs for the elderly should be abolished as a whole. Others urge to “not offer reserved seats in buses and subways to senior citizens,” which is rather impudent.

The approval rating for the liberal candidate among voters in their 20s and 30s increased more than six percentage points from 10 years ago. Nevertheless, their approval rating for the conservative candidate remained largely unchanged, standing at 34.5 percent in 2002 and 33 percent in 2012. There are liberals and conservatives in any generation. Ten years ago, the approval rating of liberals among people in their 50s or older was close to 35 percent. The hike in the percentage of voters supporting the conservative candidate among those in their 50s and older in this year’s election should be construed as a phenomenon that occurred because the liberal camp disappointed them, not because they have grown more conservative due to aging.

Inconsiderate intellectuals are seeking to instigate anger among the younger generation. On the results of the latest presidential election, certain analysts said a political structure in which people in their 50s or older, who have retired or are about to, determines the fate of people in their 40s or younger, who work hard and pay taxes, will generate massive social tension.” This accusation is merely meant for groundless political instigation.