South Korea’s Youth Voters Express Disillusionment Ahead of Presidential Election

In December, following a brief declaration of martial law by President Yoon Suk Yeol, numerous young South Koreans mobilized to the streets for the first time. They endured harsh winter conditions, waving K-pop light sticks and custom flags while chanting protest songs, demanding the president’s resignation.

When President Yoon was subsequently impeached and removed from office, these young activists believed their efforts had made an impact. However, as the presidential election approached, many expressed disappointment with the candidates available to them.

An Ye-young, a 20-year-old preparing for university entrance exams who participated in the December protests for the first time, described her feelings about the election as one of frustration. She called the ballot choices “a feast with nothing to eat” after casting her early vote.

A significant portion of South Korea’s youth feel that the candidates have failed to adequately address pressing concerns such as youth unemployment, pension reforms, and issues surrounding discrimination and violence against women.

The job market remains challenging for young South Koreans. Recent data shows that unemployment among individuals aged 15 to 29 reached a four-year peak of 6.8 percent in the first quarter of this year.