Student Interest in Politics Waning?

A survey result showed that a large number of Yonsei University students are uninterested in politics and want the student body to do more for student welfare.

The “2005 Fact Finding Survey on Students,” announced on June 5, was conducted through e-mail on 2,608 students during the second term of last year by the Yonsei Counseling Center, and showed that 41.5 percent of the respondents had no interest in students’ political activities.

According to the question on what they think of political activity and ideology movement of students, 65.6 percent of those answered negatively with 18.2 percent “moderately against” and 5.9 percent “strongly against.” Only 34.4 percent “moderately approve” and “strongly approve” the students’ involvement in politics.

Regarding the question of “on what activities the student body should focus most on,” 73.7 percent answered “student welfare improvement.” Only a minority gave answers such as “democratic self-governing activities” (8.0 percent) and “social participation and awareness raising” (3.7 percent).

More students agreed with the contribution college admission system with 59.5 percent in favor, and more students were against the relative evaluation system of school grades with 47.9 percent of students against it compared to 25.1 percent in favor.

Politics and foreign policy professor Kim Sung-ho of Yonsei University said, “Students nowadays do not seem to have much interest in politics,” and added, “It is regrettable that students show a lack of interest in not only ideology politics but also life politics.”

peacechaos@donga.com