Soft Revolution and the Power of Peace
Two years ago South Koreans took to the streets to force an unpopular and corrupt government from power. Could the same happen elsewhere? Is there anything that the people of other countries can learn from the success of the so-called “candlelight-revolution” of South Korea? When I first came to Korea 10 years ago, I noticed right away how common protests are here. The country has a long history of protests. I won’t go in to detail, but you can Google the Gwangju uprising for just one example of when people were literally prepared to put their lives on the line for what they believed in. More recently there have been protests about agricultural policy, the American Free Trade Agreement and university tuition fees. Just today I drove past a group of middle aged women protesting outside the local police station. I was too busy driving to read their signs, but they seemed to be having a great time; sitting cross-legged on the floor, gossiping and sharing food. In a country wh...