Prof.`s threat to stage candlelight vigil

Kim Yong-min, a panel member of “Nakkomsu,” a popular Korean podcast on politics, published in June last year the book “Talk About the Cho Guk Phenomenon.” This came after Cho, a professor at Seoul National University, released his “plan for liberals in power” that covered the plan of the opposition camp in 2010. Kim hinted several times at Cho running for president as the opposition candidate in 2017. This seems similar to what fellow podcast member Kim Eo-jun predicted about Moon Jae-in, the main opposition Democratic United Party’s candidate for this year`s presidential election. Cho led a supporters’ group for Kim, a candidate of the main opposition party in the April 11 general elections this year, but he lost because of his use of vulgar words.

Though Cho did not join forces with a candidate, he seems to be active in unifying candidates from the opposition camp. On Twitter on Sept. 17, he wrote, “Let’s have a tour across the country for a talk concert with Moon Jae-in and Ahn Cheol-soo.” In a panel discussion hosted by the Moon camp, Cho said, “If candidates aren`t unified, I will bring all my friends and colleagues to stage a one-man protest, and if this doesn`t work, I’ll take the lead in staging a candlelight vigil.” Why on earth did he propose holding a candlelight vigil, which brought chaos to downtown Seoul for three months in 2008?

French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau said in "The Social Contract" that the penal code forces people to abide by laws, distinguishing it from the Constitution (public code) that defines the relationship between the state and people, and the civil code that deals with issues between individuals. So why would a professor who teaches the penal code want to stage a candlelight vigil? Did he even consider the legality of it? Even those who participated in the 2008 candlelight vigils against the resumption of U.S. beef imports blasted him, with one saying, “The candlelight, a symbol of resistance, has been turned into that of power sharing and collusion? Is this democracy?”

Cho should remember that though professors are not barred from political activity by law, he should not go overboard in conducting politics. He is said to have crisscrossed the country to support opposition parties in the run-up to the general elections. Even Cho Soon-hyung, a retired senior lawmaker, said, “Cho (Kuk) is a specialist in the penal code but what he does makes me wonder how he can spare time for research and study.” If he wants to be more helpful to students, he should leave academia and focus on politics.

Editorial Writer Jeong Yeon-wook (jyw11@donga.com)