“The act of deliberately forcing a child with no decision-making power into an illegal violent protest is clearly child abuse.” [Photo = Finannce Today]  It was in 1986 when I was studying at the Graduate School of the University of Tokyo, Department of Japanese History. That year, a general election was held in Japan. 

Driven by journalistic curiosity, I approached graduate students attending a seminar and asked them which party they supported. I had personal conversations with about a dozen of the nearly 20 students, and surprisingly, they all supported the conservative Liberal Democratic Party. 

Not a single student said they would vote for the Socialist Party. While it would have been unthinkable for Korean university or graduate students in the 1980s to say so, perhaps out of shame, they answered with utmost seriousness.

Japan's Mainstream Shifts from Leftist to Rightist Currents

These students were generally born in the early 1960s and went through their adolescence from the mid-1970s to mid-1980s. During this period, like Korea not long before, leftist movements dominated Japanese society. In fact, according to my advisor, the situation at the time was even more extreme than in Korea, if not less so.

My advisor recounted that he joined the Communist Party while studying Japanese history at the University of Tokyo. However, he soon became disillusioned with the essence of socialism and left the party shortly after graduating. He then turned to conservative right-wing politics. His struggles began then. 

The 1950s and 1960s were a time when conservatives and right-wing individuals were completely ostracized in Japanese society, especially among intellectuals. Publishing even a single column or thesis caused immense emotional distress. The majority of media outlets, including newspapers and current affairs magazines, were dominated by the left, rarely providing opportunities for right-wing commentators to publish their work. 

Although this social atmosphere gradually eased, it still maintained a certain influence until the 1970s. A prime example was Iwanami Shoten (岩波書店), symbolizing Japan's publishing industry. Iwanami Shoten also served as a channel of communication for anti-government forces in Korea. However, later, due to worsening financial conditions, it faced a crisis of bankruptcy.

During this period, teachers from Nikkyoso (日敎組), the Japanese equivalent of the Korean Teachers' Union, still dominated the consciousness of students in middle and high schools. The mass media, knowingly or unknowingly, guided the younger generation to be immersed in a progressive and leftist atmosphere. 

Despite this, the generation that entered their twenties in the 1980s largely turned to support the conservative Liberal Democratic Party. 

The Hypocrisy and Disgust of the Left Exploiting Sacred Motherhood

One will remember the sight of stroller-pushing protesters who filled the streets during the mad cow disease protests in 2008. It was a scene that evoked a sense of disgust at hypocrisy. Article 8 of the "Children's Charter of the Republic of Korea" stipulates that "Children shall be protected first from harmful social environments and dangers." 

Yet, the act of deliberately forcing a child, who has no decision-making power, into an illegal and violent protest is clearly an act of child abuse. In a developed country, such an act could even have a negative impact on parental rights in severe cases. 

There is a reason why the words hypocrisy and disgust were used here. The cunning intention could be read as an attempt to create scenes of infants, the weakest beings in this world, or their sacred mothers protecting them, facing physical force or water cannons from law enforcement, thus using them for propaganda and agitation. This is the disgusting hypocrisy of the left. 

The children brought to the protests in strollers at the time were mostly around two to three years old. These children are now, 17 years later, around 20 years old, and are university students. What are they like now? Is it not surprising that they are now leading a new awakening of the conservative right, known as 'Liberty University'? 

The Irresponsibility of the Teachers' Union in Turning the 10s and 20s Rightward

Following President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of martial law and the subsequent impeachment crisis in 2024, while the established political circles are engrossed in ideological interests, this generation is actively participating in politically charged issues such as anti-impeachment rallies and pro-US, anti-China demonstrations, demonstrating a practical commitment to defending liberal democracy. 

This young generation is emerging as a new force in the conservative camp, serving as an opportunity to restore ideological dynamism in Korean society. 

It's not just Liberty University. This trend in consciousness among the youth extends widely to teenagers. For a long time, even among elementary school students, the Korean Teachers' Union and leftist politicians have been targets of mockery. 

The scene of stroller-pushing protesters who filled the streets during the mad cow disease protests in 2008. [Photo = Yonhap News] 

The irresponsibility of Teachers' Union teachers has actually played a significant role in making today's teens and 20s lean right. Their leftist education might have resonated with those in their 40s, but for generations armed with social media, it has become too old-fashioned and retrograde, ultimately becoming an object of ridicule. 

The insults exchanged among middle and high school students, and even elementary school students, such as "Your teachers are from the Teachers' Union" or "You're all 'Big-headed Moonites'," or the slur "Jjae-myung," are all well-known to Teachers' Union educators. Even in Roblox, a popular playground for elementary school students, games like "YOON Again" are more prevalent than "Jae-myung's Village." 

Who are all these people? They are the descendants of the stroller brigade. Good heavens, what are we to do? Is it because parents raised their children poorly, or is it the determination of the younger generation to correct the distorted social landscape we've observed from the strollers? 

Buddha said that all things are impermanent. Indeed, the world is constantly changing. The "586 generation" who resisted by shouting for liberal democracy are now dabbling in election fraud, seeking to establish a dictatorial regime by destroying the judiciary and suppressing freedom of expression. 

Conversely, the second generation of the stroller brigade, who remained silent about Chinese melamine formula that is harmful to children's health but loudly protested against being forced to consume American mad cow beef, are now marching proudly, calling for the eradication of fraudulent elections and advocating for pro-US, anti-China policies. 

Former Editorial Advisor, Munhwa Ilbo