‘Nepokids’ is a term that has recently emerged as a symbol of resistance among young people in Nepal, particularly Generation Z. Nepokids is a portmanteau of the English words "nepotism" and "kids," referring to children who enjoy a level of affluence and opportunities for advancement unimaginable to the general public, thanks to the power and wealth of their parents or family members. 

Nepalese society has long been accumulating discontent over social inequality, corruption, and the hereditary transmission of power and excessive privileges by the elite class. According to foreign media reports, the erosion of social fairness and the resulting frustration were the focal points of the recent anti-government protests. It is said that the social media feeds of Nepokids were overflowing with blatant displays of privilege, implying that since there are already "heavenly dragons" in the world, ordinary young people should be content with being mere "crabs, minnows, and frogs." Ultimately, anger towards these individuals among Generation Z seems to have reached a tipping point and exploded like a volcano. 

The Nepokids phenomenon in Nepal is not a recent problem. It is deeply intertwined with the history of Nepal's political structure and social inequality. Nepal was a monarchy until 2008, and for a long time, royalty, aristocrats, and high-ranking officials monopolized political, military, and economic power. Children of the ruling class enjoyed and inherited these privileges throughout their lives, leading to a level of affluence and luxury that the general public could only dream of. 

Social backlash against this led to a civil war by the communists for about ten years from 1996. Finally, a new constitution led to a restructuring of the political system. However, the Nepokids remained unchanged. The new ruling class merely donned the guise of a communist party, but the dysfunctional power structure persisted. In the process, the ladder of merit-based evaluation for ordinary young people was thoroughly excluded. 

However, with the widespread adoption of social media, the disgraceful conduct of the privileged children, the Nepokids, was exposed to the public in real-time. By showcasing luxury fashion, cars, and opulent villas on social media, they inflicted burning anger upon the suffering general youth. The ruling class mistakenly believed they could blind the public by simply blocking social media, and this cheap judgment is what triggered the current crisis. 

Unfortunately, Nepokids are not a phenomenon limited to Nepal. To varying degrees, when the children of a specific group occupy important social positions through behind-the-scenes favors, disguised under the legitimate veil of fair selection, without undergoing tests or competition, it can be considered Nepokids. There are many such Nepokids in Korea. Cho Kuk and Cho Min are merely tasters placed in the supermarket's food aisle. 

May 18 refers to the pro-democracy protests that occurred in Gwangju in May 1980. The left-wing government enacted the "Act on the Honorable Treatment of May 18 Democratic Patriots" in the name of honoring the citizens who were sacrificed and those who participated in the protests at the time. Individuals recognized for their deaths, injuries, or contributions during the protests were registered as May 18 Democratic Patriots, and various privileges were granted not only to the patriots themselves but also to their children. 

In addition to monthly subsidies paid to victims and the injured, they receive benefits similar to other national merit recipients, including medical care, employment, education, transportation discounts, and even burial in national cemeteries. However, the controversy surrounding privileges focuses more on the unfair advantage of bonus points in employment and various tests granted to patriots and their families, especially their children, rather than these financial benefits. 

Let's assume a passing score for a certain exam is 60 or higher. If any child of a patriot scores as low as 55, they receive a 10% bonus, an additional 5.5 points, leading to a score of 60.5 and the honor of passing. The same applies to merit-based rankings. If an actual score of 60 is achieved, it is automatically processed as 66. Such privileges can be a devastating blow to candidates scoring between 60 and 65. 

For a civil service exam with a total score of 400 points, a child of a May 18 patriot can receive a bonus of up to 40 points. In a situation where countless people fail by just a few points, how can 40 points be justified? As these privileges accumulate, it becomes highly probable that the administrative officials, judges, and prosecutors will be dominated by specific regions and groups. This completes the rule by the new Nepokids. 

Privilege is, after all, sweet. Privilege is addictive. Increasingly, more people seek to participate in that privilege. Even after 45 years have passed since May 18, 1980, the protests are said to be ongoing. This is why the list of merit recipients continues to grow. However, the list of merit recipients is kept confidential. While national merit recipients should be proud, they always try to conceal their identities. What invisible hand is at play that causes the government and courts to refuse to disclose the list with flimsy reasons like "protection of personal information and prevention of secondary damage"? They seem to know that a class-based society is shameful. 

Park Yeol, an anarchist during the Japanese colonial period, was imprisoned for resisting their power and tyranny. Park Yeol's method of resistance was to thoroughly ridicule and mock them. What kind of ridicule would he feel if he witnessed the children of Korea's May 18 merit recipients today? Perhaps he would scribble a poem like this on his Facebook page. 

"I am a dog / A dog that barks at the sky and the moon / The children of May 18 merit recipients, the 'Joseon Nepokids' / Getting splashed by the hot water gushing from between their legs / I too forcefully spit / I am a dog." 

Lee Shin-woo, Former Editorial Writer for Munhwa Ilbo & Author of "Election Fraud and Traitors"