"International Student Movement"

May 29th, Seoul:
Thousands of Students against Fees - 73 arrested

On May 25th students took to the streets acoss the Ukraine, on May 26th in Germany and on May 29th it was the turn for students in Seoul (South Korea) to resist tuition fees. Everywhere we can observe the same developments.

Over the past ten years, university fees in South Korea have gone up more than 100 percent - triple the increase of the cost of living.

Education expenses are also felt by the parents of these students, who have already spent a small fortune on private academies. A recent survey showed that Seoul families spend an average of $500 dollars a month at such cram schools, and that's before their children make it to university.

University students also point to other societal factors that create a cash - and study - crunch.

In one of his 2007 election promises, President Lee Myung-bak promised to cut university fees in half. But that hasn't happened.
Therefore students decided to take the struggle back onto the streets. Already at the beginning of April this year thousands of students blocked the city centre of capital:

Also yesterday (May 29th) thousands flooded the streets and were chaised by the police again.
As part of the protest a group of college students lied on the road arm-in-arm after their march towards the Cheong Wa Dae (the presidential office in South Korea or Blue House) was blocked by the police in front of Gwanghwamun Plaza, central Seoul:

They staged a sudden rally to urge the government to cut college tuition fees in half and create jobs for youth.

Police arrested 73 participations, charging a violation of the Law on Assembly and Demonstration. Around 500 students reportedly participated in a candle light vigil demonstration in the area, demanding the police to release those arrested students.

Students who oppose the tuition increases are planning to conduct an all-out struggle with the goal of cutting tuition in half.

Source: english.hani.co.kr