<p class="cafe-editor-text">[Bangkok Press Conference of LIFEROAD]<br /><br /><The meaning of the world's historic Candlelight Civil Revolution><br /><br /><br /><br />Professor Lee, Ki Young, Hoseo University<br /><br /><br />The Candlelight Civil Revolution, which first started in South Korea on October 26th, 2016, and was held until April 27th, is one of the most advanced forms of victory through citizens' direct democracy in world history and was carried out without a drop of bloodshed. Before this revolution, democracy in Korea had been on the verge of collapse due to 'neoliberalism', yet the suffering Korean people communicated through SNS and spontaneously gathered in Gwanghwamun.<br /><br />This is in large part due to the grassroots resistance spirit that has flowed throughout the history of the Korean people, such as the Donghak Revolution. This embodies the spirit of the Taegeukgi philosophy of the Korean people who live according to the principles of nature and has been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years. Now, the spirit of the Candlelight Civil Revolution will hopefully spread throughout other countries and cultures in the world, where greedy capitalist multinational corporations thrive off of infinite competition, and the fear of a Third World War including nuclear war. The Candlelight Revolution is a light for the oppressed and can help rescue the global village from the current crisis we all face. Self-interest and corporate-oriented neoliberalism was largely initiated in England by then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and has thus made the world a crucible of infinite competition. As a result, a large percentage of people have been suffering from being over-worked due to this infinite competition. In many countries throughout North America and Europe, people are turning their attention from a basic distrust of politics to extreme right (and left) fascism. However, this is destroying the cooperative system between cultures and countries and is continuing to fuel competition for money, and a concern about a potential Third World War.<br /><br />It is time to take a look at another option; The Candlelight Revolution of South Korea. In Korea, upwards of a million citizens gathered in Gwanghwamun every day to exercise their rights and engage in free debate. This action quickly spread throughout the country by citizens using SNS, and the Korean citizens began to see many other candlelight debates and peaceful marches form in numerous other cities and provinces throughout the peninsula.<br /><br />In the end, the power of such a strong candlelight demonstration could not be easily dismissed and it resulted in the resignation of the president, who was a strawman (strawwoman) controlled by non-elected secret people and/or groups, that also held influence over many of the police, prosecutors, and weak politicians, all of which have had devastating results for the Korean constitution and democratic order. The indignant Korean citizens gathered through online social networking and formed the first 10 million people-plus non-violent demonstration for direct democracy in world history. Citizens forced President Park to step down, (Park had been pursuing private interests through breaking constitutional order), and ultimately restored their democracy by electing a new president, Moon Jae In.<br /><br />Through The Candlelight Civil Revolution, demonstrators helped publicize human rights abuses, labor oppression, and environmental problems that had been committed by the former government and also highlighted the Samsung business group, which was involved in many illegal activities. In essence, it was an 'old village' movement which denied and brought down the Saemaul, 'new village' movement which was causing deep corruption all over the country and destroying traditional Korean cooperative values and traditions. Candlelight demonstrations first developed during the Gwangju Citizens Revolution (6.10) uprising in 1987, and again surfaced during the demonstration in 2008 in response to mad cow disease.<br /><br />'Modern democracy' has been using elections to legitimize and justify continued domination of vested interests by the inheritors, which would inevitably lead to the fall of free market capitalism. In the ancient Greek city of Athens, the Roman Republic, and the Renaissance-era Italian Free City, these cultures imposed many barriers to prevent such hegemony and centralization of power, and sought to make violent and irresponsible governments impossible. They took anti-corruption measures and believed in resistance to the temptation of power.<br /><br />In Korea, although the Gwangju Democratization Uprising had failed, Koreans learned from it as they took to the streets during the 6.10 Uprising, and the 2008 candlelight demonstration against mad cow disease demonstrating their civilized sovereignty. A citizens' democracy has now been realized through the building of a citizen's council. It is a very different view from the United States, which is currently making the world more unstable by picking Donald Trump, a unusual selfish mannered, coarse realty dealer. Along with advice from experts, the Citizens' Assembly helps realize a deliberative democracy in which citizens will be involved in discussion and decision making, such as with the current plan for the destruction of nuclear power plants on the peninsula. It is not a vertical system of society dominated by power and money, but a horizontal system based on everyone's own role within it. <br /><br />(This natural philosophy of Korean tradition and cultural heritage is evident in the song 'River Han is flowing'.)<br /><br /></p>
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