Expression of the Year: Pell-Mell

University professors think “pell-mell” is the phrase that best characterizes Korea this year.

An education newspaper polled 76 professors to choose an expression of the year and released the result yesterday. According to the poll, 16 percent of the respondents chose an expression that means “pell-mell” as the phrase that best describes the Korean politics, economy, and society in 2003. The newspaper conducts a poll of professors every year to choose a four-lettered expression made up of Chinese characters.

The professors thought society was unstable in general. Government policies were inconsistent since the inauguration of the new government, and many accidents happened such as a subway arson attack in Daegu.

Following “pell-mell” are the expressions that mean “getting worse,” “slandering,” “incoherence,” “chaos,” and so on, all of which points out the economic recession and the illegal presidential campaign funds.

Expressions that mean a “maze” and “alignment of political parties” were the expressions of the year in 2001 and 2002, respectively.

The polled people thought the illegal presidential funds (22.4 percent) and the president’s proposal of a confidence vote (13.2 percent) were the worse events of the year. Many of them also chose the conflict regarding construction of a nuclear waste facility in Buan, the arson attack in Daegu, and the increase in suicide due to poverty.

When asked to choose the most pleasant occasion, 38.2 percent of the respondents said “none” or did not answer. Only 11.8 percent chose the inauguration of the Roh Moo-hyun government, and 9.8 percent said thorough investigation into the illicit fundraising.

podragon@donga.com