Two years have passed since our campus became re-energized back to pre-COVID times. With the revitalization of the student community—leaving behind the atrophy of online semesters—the SNU Human Rights Student Council (SHRC) has also relaunched. While we still face many challenges, I believe it is formidable to have an official Student Council-affiliated organization to discuss and voice human rights issues. Most of us are familiar with the term "human rights," but it is also feels quite distant. The notion itself is well known, but most of us are unable to resonate with it as something connected to ourselves. Perhaps, it is felt that it belongs more in books rather than in reality. However distant it may feel, human rights are here and now: in concrete reality. A pair of automated doors with buttons placed where a wheelchair user cannot reach, the first question of a survey that can only be answered with the words "male" or "female," a vegan cafeteria on campus that has closed down, a worker’s rest area placed underground with terrible air quality and high humidity, the pressure to perform at a talent show during a freshmen mixer, a sexist joke… The list goes on. Even on campus and within the university community, we come face-to-face with problems related to the human rights agenda, especially those of minorities, like the instances stated above. Many people may perceive the “rights of minorities” as something that only concerns an extremely small group of people who are distant from themselves. Those “minorities”, however, are here and now—just like the non-minorities. In fact, they may be right next to you. They, however, face challenges and problems due to social institutions and structures that stem from the so-called “normalcy.” On the other hand, this means that the challenges and problems they face can be eliminated—at least considerably—through changes in social institutions and structures. The most obvious example of these challenges and problems is a non-barrier-free environment. “The term barrier-free” refers to removing barriers to social life for people with disabilities, the elderly, and other minorities. A shuttle bus that is inaccessible to wheelchairs, or a website that relies heavily on images to convey important information which prevents blind people from using a screen reader from decipher the content, are both examples of non-barrier-free environments. These environments are intended only for those who can use both legs to board buses easily and for those who can see visual images, respectively. "Normalcy" is layered onto our society in many ways, and those who do not fit the mold are often excluded from spaces, institutions, and opportunities. Although society demands “normalcy” like mentioned above, only a few, or no one at all, fits this normalcy in every way. Hence, creating a community that is not solely for "normal humans" but for all of the diverse people that are here and now, is ultimately about creating a community for all of us. I believe this is one of the causes that SHRC exists for. SHRC is responsible for finding solutions to prevent and alleviate discrimination and human rights violations, implementing projects to raise human rights awareness, and ensuring that the Rights and Diversity Agenda units on campus function properly. Currently, the Rights and Diversity Agenda units include agenda groups that advocate for LGBTQ+, disability, women/gender, labor, and vegan rights, but our agenda is not limited to the ones listed. Last year, we organized a "Rainbow March" to protest Seoul City’s decision to refuse the use Seoul Plaza to host the Seoul Queer Parade. We also established a regular council to improve human rights issues on campus. This year, we plan to participate in regular human rights meetings with the school administration, and work towards the enactment of the Seoul National University Human Rights Charter, among other things. SHRC’s effort to create a community that guarantees everyone's rights continues. We would like to ask you, the members of SNU community, to keep alert of the current human rights issues within our campus. We also expect that the university administration will be more proactive in ensuring the human rights of members of this community. Please remember, human rights are not a distant issue; it is a matter for those of us who are here and now. The author is the chairperson at Seoul National University’s student-led Human Rights Council. --Ed.

Disasters reveal aspects of society that are normally invisible. They identify the mechanisms leading to negative outcomes, expose the values a society prioritizes, show resource allocation, and uncover responses in chaotic and urgent situations. More importantly, they reveal who makes decisions about a risk and to whom that risk is structurally transferred. In other words, risk reveals power relations within a society. So, what did the Sewol ferry disaster reveal about the nature and power relations in Korean society? On 16 April, 2014, a 6,800-metric ton vessel capsized and sank on a clear, windless, wave-free day. The crew took no steps to ensure the safety of the passengers, and only escaped to the Coast Guard patrol boat while the ship's standby announcements were being made. The Coast Guard did not communicate with the Sewol crew, let alone order the passengers to leave the ship, and only picked up the passengers who managed to get out on their own, while the Sewol capsized. The media made a significant error by incorrectly reporting that all passengers had been rescued. Additionally, the president visited the Central Disaster Safety Task Force at 5:15 P.M. and asked uninformed questions, displaying a lack of awareness of the situation. Furthermore, no presidential meetings occurred at the Blue House until 20 April, 2014. The public hoped that divers could rescue at least one passenger while part of the ship's bow remained above water. However, the Coast Guard lacked deep-sea diving capabilities, and the state failed to provide accurate information or to communicate transparently with the bereaved families. Instead, police were mobilized to monitor and track their movements. From the day of the tragedy, state intelligence agencies—including the National Intelligence Service, the Military Intelligence Command, and the police—not only conducted illegal inspections of the bereaved families but also monitored all activities related to the Sewol ferry disaster, including online spaces, government ministries, media organizations, and even the Supreme Court, indiscriminately collecting information and reporting it to higher authorities. On 15 May, 2014, it was revealed that the 'Marine Accident Reporting System Chart' required the NIS to be the first to report any accident. In order to uncover the truth behind these numerous allegations, the families sought to establish a powerful investigative committee endowed with compulsory investigative and prosecutorial powers. However, the political parties were unwilling to support this, leading to the enactment of a special law that lacked these crucial powers. The Sewol Special Investigation Committee, which was created with great difficulty, faced complete obstruction by the Blue House and the government from its inception until it was forcibly disbanded. In late 2016, a candlelight protest led to the impeachment of former president Park Geun-hye and the installation of a new government. However, this new administration did not make significant efforts to investigate the Sewol ferry disaster. During the Moon Jae-in administration, the Blue House illegally destroyed documents related to the Sewol ferry, and the remains were not released to the public until five days after they were found. In September, 2022, the investigation by the Special Investigation Committee on Social Disasters concluded without resolving the various suspicions related to the Sewol ferry disaster. The Sewol ferry tragedy exposed more than just the unsafe operation of passenger ships and the incompetence of the Korean Coast Guard. It revealed that the Coast Guard, whose mission is to protect people's lives, stood by and watched people die. It showed that the media, tasked with delivering facts, could propagate lies that had no basis in reality. It demonstrated that the president could be indifferent—or even hostile—towards a national tragedy, that state agencies could inspect and suppress bereaved families, and that systemic obstruction could hamper the investigative committee established by a special law enacted by the legislature. Furthermore, the tragedy uncovered a harsh reality within our society: even after bereaved families and citizens fought back against this grave injustice and a new government was installed, the new administration did little to uncover the truth. After the Sewol ferry tragedy, many people said, “I will remember and I will act.” Ten years later, what should we remember, and what should we do? We should remember the injustice in Korean society, and our actions should aim to change that injustice. That would be true mourning and true memorialization. On the 10th anniversary of the Sewol ferry tragedy, I hope this will be an opportunity to start a discussion about the character of Korean society as revealed by the tragedy, and to determine what actions should be taken to make that character more just. The author is a doctoral candidate at Seoul National University’s Department of Sociology and former Investigation Team Leader at the Special Commission on Social Disaster Investigation.--Ed.

Everyone wants a happy life. But if you look around, you cannot find that many people who actually manage to lead happy lives. They say Koreans are comparatively less happy than those who live in other countries with similar levels of income. Korea’s suicide rate, one of the highest among OECD member countries, illustrates this fact well. What is the matter? Has’nt Korea joined the club of rich countries already? Most Koreans are free from the worries about basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter. I guess the main culprit is the suffocatingly competitive social atmosphere which has rendered us to live under a tremendous amount of stress from early childhood. When I was young, there was not much private education going on which devastated the bodies and souls of young children. Since we had to go through three levels of entrance examinations from that of junior high schools, the situation back then could have been much worse than today, Unlike children of these days, however, most children at that time were free from the devastation of private education. With ever increasing pressure of competition, our society has become an unbearably competitive one all of a sudden. Another horrifying environment awaits us when we enter the society after finishing schools. Think about the pitiful situation of the average salaried person who faces the pressure to retire voluntarily in his or her early 50s. Could he feel happy when he ponders about what will happen to him after retirement? With insufficient savings and pensions, he should endure miserable poverty during his long retirement years. What makes worse, the period during which he should live in retirement has become much longer with ever rising life expectancy. Would it be possible for the average Korean who is living such a stressful life to feel happy in his everyday life? It is definitely not easy to escape this trap of unhappiness by one’s own efforts. Besides, there is another bad news. According to studies by psychologists, genetic factors have a great impact on people’s feelings of happiness. Genetic factors account for up to 50 percent of all factors that influence the feelings of happiness. That is to say, some people could have a hard time to feel happy from the beginning of their lives. Then should we just give up our efforts to become happy? Based on my experiences as someone who has lived over 70 years, I think not necessarily. Even though the social atmosphere is bad and genetic factors act as a limitation, the efforts to become happy definitely do help. Certainly, there is some room to make your day-to-day lives happier through your efforts to enhance the feelings of happiness. But the question is in what one should do to increase the feelings of happiness. People who call themselves the ‘teachers of life’ tell us many ways to become happy. For example, some advises that you must always maintain a positive attitude, or that you must never give up hope even in adverse situations. Moreover, some says that you should let go of useless greed and feel satisfied with your current circumstances. In actuality, however, putting these into practice is easier said than done. In addition, it is unclear whether such efforts will actually make you happy. Hence, I would like to introduce two things that I have been practicing and have found to be quite effective in enhancing the feelings of happiness. The first one is very simple and easy to put into practice. On a sunny day, I quit working and go outside to take a walk enjoying the view of blossoming flowers and trees. However busy you may be, you can surely spare half an hour to refresh your body and mind. I can confidently predict that giving yourself a break from exhausting daily routines even for half an hour will indeed make you much refreshed and happy. I hope you don’t look down on this method. The fact that it is effective has also been proven scientifically. There are numerous studies that show being in the sun makes you happier. It is widely known that people living in countries with little sunlight tend to have higher numbers suffering from depression. Moreover, a research on happiness shows that living a life that is close to nature increases the feelings of happiness. You can greatly increase the feelings of happiness by merely taking a walk under the bright sun enjoying the view of flowers and trees. The second one is a roundabout way to reach the goal of happiness by trying to achieve good health first. I believe that this is surely a good way to increase your level of happiness effectively. Health is the most important precondition to happiness. It is a widely known truth that unhealthy people cannot feel happy. The cause of many people’s unhappiness can be found in their bad health. Therefore, striving to live a healthy life will certainly lead to a happy life. The question is how can we achieve both physical and mental health. I think a certain kind of prioritization is necessary in this context. That is, we had better focus on physical health rather than mental health. This is because a healthy mind comes naturally from a healthy body. That is not the only reason. The question of how to make one’s mind healthy is not an easy question to answer. Therefore, working to improve one’s physical health first is a more practical approach. In order to make a healthy body, we must first-and-foremost eat good foods. We must reduce the consumption of junk foods and processed foods. We must foster a habit of consuming only healthy foods. This is easy to say, but it is actually a difficult task to do. Especially for young people, it could be close to impossible to abstain from junk foods. But nothing is gained in this world for free! Leading a healthy and happy life requires the determination to forgo short-term pleasures. The second element of maintaining a healthy body is adequate exercise. It is good to enjoy any kind of sports as a hobby. You must have the experience of feeling refreshed and happy after you sweat a lot doing some sports activities. If it is difficult for you to exercise regularly for some reason, you must at least find some time to take a walk. They say that brisk walking has the same health-improving effects as any other form of arduous exercise. The last element of maintaining a healthy body is adequate rest. Just as a machine working non-stop soon breaks down, you can never be healthy if you overwork your body and mind. Even if things that should be done pile up like a mountain, be sure to make the effort to take some rest. If you do not take a rest because you think it is a waste of time, you may end up wasting more time by falling ill. Let us not forget that taking adequate amounts of time to rest is the most effective way of managing your time. I think I have lived, on the whole, a fairly happy life so far. And I believe that my ways of enhancing the feelings of happiness that I have explained above have turn out to be quite effective. That is why I wish to share my experiences with you. I am sure that you won’t be disappointed if you follow my steps. I could not be any happier if you try it out and find it effective. As your teacher, leading you to happy lives is what I find most worthwhile. The author is an emeritus professor at Seoul National University’s Department of Economics. --Ed.

South Korea has its General Elections on Wednesday. Watching the highlights to a recent television debate, which aired on local broadcaster JTBC, I could not hide my dismay. “The country that young people have ruined, the country that young people have messed up, the elderly must save.” This remark by former journalist Kim Jin, who appeared on the show as a panelist representing the conservative bloc, sparked much debate online. People raised concerns that such views may be shared among the leadership of the ruling People’s Power Party as Kim is not only a member of the PPP, but is also known to have personal connections to high ranking party members. Whether he represents the party or not, his views cannot be further from the truth. It is uncontested that South Korea’s young adults have always played a pivotal role in South Korean politics. They were at the hearth of renewing South Korea’s democracy. Students played an important role in the candlelight protests that impeached former president Park Geun-hye, who allowed her personal aide to meddle with state affairs. South Korea’s young adults also led the “Me Too” movement, seeking to correct gender-based violence in the workplace. Both cases illustrate young adults seeking to end outdated customs and practices that have plagued Korean society and politics. Korean young adults have always been at the center of the domestic political scene—not “mess[ing] up” the country, but urging it to keep up with the times. Meanwhile, young adults here have—on the contrary—often fallen victim to state power. A young 20-year-old corporal lost his life last year, fulfilling an unjustified, yet dangerous, order. His honor was further tarnished as politicians and military officials scurried to deny responsibility. Over 150 people—mostly in their 20s and 30s—died in a crowd crush on Halloween, while the top official responsible for the safety of her constituents missed safety precaution meetings to take a personal trip. Millions of students preparing for college admissions fell into despair after learning that the daughter of South Korea’s former Minister of Justice used her father’s influence to get into a local medical school. And the audacity to say that Korea’s young adults have “ruined the country.” Of course, I am not here to pour gasoline on the generational conflict Kim Jin has started. The elderly has contributed extensively to South Korea’s development, and has sacrificed far more than we can fathom. And we most certainly need their wisdom to navigate this age of political turmoil. But Kim Jin’s remarks exhibit exactly why we should walk into that poll booth on Wednesday. South Korea’s young adults are just as attentive and reactive to politics as any other generational demographic. South Korea’s young adults know how to hold politicians accountable. We know how to stand up for ourselves when state power oppresses. We know that when a person pits two of the most vulnerable demographics against each other, their intentions are not the most angelic. To show them that, that is why I vote. The author is a former Editor-in-Chief and the current Chief Editorial Writer at The SNU Quill. –Ed.

When I was at Seoul National University, my finance professor tended to mix life lessons into his teachings. Some of them have stuck with me to this day; for example, he would say that beer always taste the best the day before a lecture. Based on my personal experience, I can confidently say that this is definitely true. He also said that the most important capital investment of your life is your partner. Given that you go through most of your life with your partner, I cannot disagree with this statement. If I had to condense the life wisdom I have gained during my life it would be this: Not having children is the biggest mistake you can make. South Korea is repeatedly beating its own record year after year when it comes to low birth rates. Some of the latest figures you can find cited online are as low as 0.72 births per woman, according to the BBC. This is far from the 2.1 that promotes a steady population. To put this in perspective, at the current rate there will be less than six great grandchildren for every 100 Koreans today. Although it is hard to ignore this major societal issue, my opinion on having children comes from a purely selfish place to achieve happiness in life. Having a child has been an unmatched experience in my life, it has opened my eyes to another level of love and bonding. This does not only apply to the relationship with my child but also to my wife and to my parents. The fact is that I could never have accessed this level of love and bonding without having a child. This also means I could never understand what it means and feels to have a child without having a child. I have observed that many people show hesitance to having children and come up with a myriad of reasons for why they should not. They believe it comes with many changes to their life and with increased expenses. This is all true, however, once you have a child your complete perspective on life changes. Having a child is less of a disruption but more like an evolution. Your own priorities shift, and you will find yourself wanting to spend the weekend with your family rather than drinking with your friends. It ends up being a paradoxical situation; people without children need to consider if they should have children or not but without the ability to understand what it means to have children until they do. This is why, I want to tell all these people: Yes, you should have children, through whatever means that are available today, and it would be a big mistake if you did not. To truly live life is to have children, that I can say with complete confidence. The author is a former Editor-in-Chief at The SNU Quill and currently works as a Project Manager at TWS Partners. –Ed.

Jeju is a luscious island, full of natural beauties. The black rocks contrast with the green plants that dot the beaches. From palm trees to evergreens, Jeju is the epitome of floral diversity. Although spring is the season of rapseed on Jeju Island, another simpler plant was the focus of my most recent excursion. My sixth visit to the mysterious island centered on Jeju’s mundane bamboo trees. There are many villages and towns in South Korea that are famous for its bamboo forests. Damyang, South Jeolla Province is famous for its tall and never-ending green bamboo forests, while Geojae, South Gyeongsang Province is famous for its seaside bamboo. But Jeju—despite its natural wonders—rarely makes the top ten list of famous bamboo destinations. Jeju’s bamboo forests—albeit less prominent—are the centerpiece of Jeju’s sorrowful past. On my recent trip to the lonely island, I had the privilege of meeting an artist, who spent his days producing artworks that told stories of Jeju’s 4.3 Massacre. Leaning on his workbench with a cigarette in his hand, the artist told me a peculiar story. According to the artist, Jeju’s inhabitant had a culture of growing bamboos in their front yards. For centuries, the inhabitants would weave baskets from the bamboo, storing food in those baskets to survive on the infertile volcanic island. In 1947, only two years after Korea’s liberation from Japan, a myriad of different policies enacted by the US military regime and Korea’s first republic created much dissent on the island. Eventually, the far-left Workers’ Party of South Korea staged a strike on the island. The US’ military regime sought the opportunity to eradicate communist influence and sent down the Northwest Youth Association—a far-right youth organization which ultimately acted as a private pseudo-militia for Korea’s first president. Conflict arose between the two entities, which eventually led to official government intervention, by dispatching the military. Soldiers marched into villages, and over the course of the next seven years, massacred almost 30,000 people—most of whom were not affiliated with Korea’s communist party. A huge portion of Jeju’s population was wiped out. Families grieved, and victims were not even given a proper burial; meanwhile, the government, taking advantage of the island’s isolation, kept the massacre a secret for the next three decades. Entire villages were erased and entire families were uprooted. The bamboo trees growing on the front yards of Jeju residents’ homes soon took over the entire empty village. As the empty houses crumbled, nature took its course, engulfing the village, forming the large bamboo forests that attract millions of tourists in one of the world’s most visited islands. In 2011, Jeju was named one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World. It’s aesthetic rock formations, eco-diversity and blue waters attract millions of tourists each year from all over the world. However, we must always remember that in that same space, hundreds of thousands have fallen victim to state violence. The people of Jeju today greet you with a smile. And perhaps Jeju’s 4.3 Massacre is now only a story told in history books—a memory lingering in the corner of one’s head—refusing to bid farewell. However, though memories fade, the bamboo trees remember. It remembers that people once lived among its forests. The caves remember. It recounts that victims once hid in its hospitality, away from the soldiers’ guns and knives. The sea remembers. It remembers the bodies that it once caressed down in its depths. Nature remembers. So, the next time you visit Jeju and pass by a bamboo forest, listen to the song its leaves whisper. Under a cool breeze it will tell you a tale of a once bustling village, lying just beneath your feet. The author is a former Editor-in-Chief and the current Chief Editorial Writer at The SNU Quill. –Ed.

Two years since 2022, when the Student Council had been elected for the first time in three years, the failure to elect a new Student Council has led to the continuation of an acting-Student Council system. The hope that maybe the student society—which had fallen into stagnation since COVID-19—has been revitalized after the resumption of in-person classes was only temporary. Once again, we find ourselves in arduous times. What is the reason behind low student participation? My personal diagnosis is that the expansion of individualistic culture, and the status-quo which arises from that, wherein people put their interests first, is the primary cause. Individual students think negatively of what benefits the representative organization called “Student Council” can bring. That is natural though, as the Student Council was vocal in higher-level discussions up to the early 2010s, and gradually raised agendas that were distant from student lives. It seems the accumulation of such hours has led to the sharp decline in student participation. But the Student Council no longer only vocalizes echoes related to higher-level discussions. <Midnight>, the Student Council elected in 2022, put in much effort to change such paradigms, and <Noon>, the Student Council that followed, worked to continue that transformed paradigm. It tried to take initiative in excavating, asking and solving the adversities—or small dissatisfactions and problems—that individual students felt attending school. It proved the need for its existence by solving problems that were difficult for individuals to tackle, such as wanting more power outlets in classrooms, wanting longer opening hours for the library, creating a new shuttle bus route that takes a left towards the College of Business Administration after passing through the main gate, or solving the problem of Gwanak Mountain’s stray dogs. These were, ultimately, movements to prove that participating in student government can bring great benefits in the areas of personal rights, interests and welfare. Now the Student Council moves in that direction. A Student Council that operates with that standard can sometimes also vocalize society’s problems. It solves diverse problems that we all want resolved, however, are hard for individuals to tackle, but still need to change. And all of this, though it sounds grandiose, starts from a very small movement. That is participating in student government, and being a little more invested. Casting a vote when there are student elections, looking at different student society projects with a more affectionate gaze; from these small things start the assurance and enhancement of one’s individual rights and interests. The author is Seoul National University’s acting-Student Council President, and an undergraduate student at the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development. The contribution was submitted in Korean and translated by The SNU Quill. –Ed.

In his travels to Palestine between 2005 and 2008, the South Korean poet and photographer Park No-hae was unsettled by what he witnessed. In Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth, he saw the Israeli-built concrete wall separating the city from Jerusalem. In Salfit, an ancient town in the central part of the occupied West Bank, he saw olive trees, some as old as a thousand years, cut down by the Israeli army to make way for illegal settlement expansion. As he traveled the West Bank, he saw Israeli checkpoints where Palestinians languished in lines for hours and were subjected to humiliating inspections. The parallels between Israeli colonialism in Palestine and Japanese colonialism in Korea would not have been lost on Park, whose parents participated in the struggle for Korea’s independence. To those who have been affected by histories of occupation, colonialism, and apartheid, the story of Palestine is a familiar one. In the words of the South African anti-apartheid hero, Nelson Mandela: “We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.” But one needs not to know colonialism and occupation firsthand to oppose it, and one needs not to have experienced the horrors of war to empathize with the 2.3 million Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip facing displacement, starvation, and death. For months, people and governments around the world have called for a ceasefire, and protests in solidarity with the Palestinian people have taken place regularly in every corner of the globe. And yet, the carnage continues ahead. Whole families and communities have been wiped out. An entire generation of Palestinian children have been traumatized to their core. Their suffering is indescribable, their anguish unimaginable. Nothing excuses indiscriminate violence and attacks on civilians, be they Palestinian or Israeli. The targeting of Israeli civilians in the Hamas-led 7 October attacks can be neither denied nor justified. It is, nevertheless, both possible and necessary to attempt to understand the context of the ongoing violence. We will not find a way toward peace if we do not see the path which has brought us to the present moment. History, as Palestinians would remind us, didn’t begin on 7 October. For decades, Gaza’s refugee camps have been home to people who can testify to a history of dispossession, displacement, and massacre. Many of them are descendants of Palestinians who were driven out of their homes as a consequence of the partition of historic Palestine and the creation of the state of Israel. In “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (2006),” Israeli historian Ilan Pappé chronicles the events of 1947 to 1948 when over 750,000 Palestinians, more than half of the native population, were either expelled or fled from their homes for fear of being killed. Israel’s 1967 military occupation of Gaza and the subsequent creation of Israeli settlements in the occupied territory displaced more Palestinians, exacerbating an already precarious situation. In 2005, Israel withdrew its settlers and troops from Gaza, but kept the territory fenced in by barbed wire and concrete walls. Following the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, which resulted in a Hamas victory, Israel placed Gaza under a stifling blockade, turning the narrow strip of land into a densely populated open-air prison. The historical context of the ongoing violence also includes what the Jewish-American philosopher Judith Butler describes as Israel’s “systematic devaluation of Palestinian lives.” In “Precarious Life” (2004), Butler discusses how the “dehumanization” of Palestinians at the hands of Israel and its Western allies has rendered Palestinian lives “ungrievable.” This devaluation of Palestinian lives has been on full display during the past six months, as Western countries including the United States and Germany have continued to supply Israel with weapons and diplomatic support in the face of the overwhelming number of displaced, starved, and killed Gazans. Park No-hae’s photographs from Palestine remind us of the humanity of a people whose faces are too often unseen, their voices unheard, their humanity denied, and their deaths either ignored or reduced to mind-numbing statistics. They remind us of the resilience of a people who refuse to be erased, and who continue to cultivate the dream of a future free from occupation, blockade, and forced exile. Perhaps sometime this week, you’ll take a couple of hours out of your day to visit Park’s “Beneath the Olive Tree” exhibition at Ra Gallery. As you view these photos, you’ll be reminded that the humanity of the Palestinian people is intrinsically connected to your own humanity, and you may recall the words of the great Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish: "As you liberate yourself in metaphor, think of others (those who have lost the right to speak). As you think of others far away, think of yourself (say: “If only I were a candle in the dark”)." The author is an Associate Professor at Seoul National University's Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations --Ed.

Dear readers, The 80th edition of The SNU Quill knocks on your door under the theme “Boiling Point.” The magazine finds you at a time when the pot full of tumult comes to a simmer. The world has been closely following Madame Disruption’s renowned recipe for crisis which reads as follows: Five parts polarization, three parts fervor, two parts populism, and a pinch of disinformation—the cherry on top. From the Israel-Hamas conflict to the ousting of former US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, the world saw a tumultuous year in 2023. The year was equally disruptive in South Korea, with the death of a teacher sparking nationwide outrage, and governmental policies—including those concerning the 2023 Jamboree and the removal of freedom fighter Hong Beom-do’s statue from Korea’s military academy—deeply polarizing and dividing the population. With major earthquakes in Turkey and Japan, and record temperatures throughout the summer, even Mother Nature seems to be adding her touch. In wake of such critical events, the role of journalism becomes ever-the-more-important. Hence, the editorial staff at The SNU Quill have meticulously selected a series of articles showcasing critical topics that will determine the course of tomorrow’s history. These articles pose pressing questions that are avoided by society for being too difficult or too sensitive. What is the status of minorities in Korea? How do private campus tours impact the students’ perception of outsiders? Why is our campus becoming infiltrated by large franchises while campus unions die out? Where are the social crevices in the debate between teacher’s authority and student rights? These are only some of the questions that this edition fiddles with. We sincerely hope that this selection of articles provides an insightful glimpse into the fault lines within our campus and society. Our magazine itself has seen much change in the past semester. Digital transformation and restructuring have been our key focus. A group of freelance engineers have been revamping our website which we hope will provide a friendlier user experience. A shout out to the outstanding team of engineers led by Cho In-hyuk. The new website will launch within the first half of 2024—something to look out for. Meanwhile, our newly formed Strategic Planning Team has been working arduously to promote our brand and reach. The team’s talented members, led by Cho Sang-hun, have much up their sleeves. For 2024, they are planning more events where you will be able to meet us on and off campus; so please keep an eye out for that too. More information on our upcoming changes can be found in the last two pages of this edition. Amid such changes, I would not have been able to push through this turbulent semester if it were not for our fantastic editorial team. A million thanks to You-jin, Yun-geun, Da-eun, Hyun-kyung, Ji-woo, and Ji-won for helping me persevere. I am always humbled by your support and your love for The SNU Quill. To our subeditors, So-ya, Joo-young, Hae-soo and Hee-seo, thanks for the great support you provided in each of your sections. My deepest gratitude to Hye-rin and Yoo-suk for working so passionately, despite the subpar conditions. And a great magnitude of respect and appreciation to Sang-hun for navigating through the myriad of hurdles that arise when leading a newly formed team. Lastly, a huge thanks to each member of The SNU Quill family for playing their part in bringing this magazine to fruition. You guys are my All-Star team. I would like to conclude this letter with a plea to our readers. Despite being surrounded by a simmering society just about to reach its boiling point, our campus was surprisingly tranquil this year. As classes returned to complete normalcy, Jahayeon was filled with clubs looking for new recruits, while students took naps on bean bag chairs in the newly furbished Grass Plaza. However, under this thinly woven veil lies a great sense of political apathy, showcased by the 2023 student body elections which saw many colleges and departments failing to elect student representatives due to low voter turnouts. The cacophony of voices accompanying the bombardment of information has rendered students to plug in their ears. No one gathers at the Acropolis anymore, even amid the government’s push to reduce research funding. The walls are no longer thickly covered in posters that carry written debates about the most pressing social issues. Everyone is busy living their own lives. But I urge you, dear readers, to keep your ears open, for a neglected pot that boils will surely cause havoc. And I urge you, dear readers, to thirst for information, as knowledge—not ignorance—is bliss. Finally, I urge you, dear readers, to ponder upon the questions posed by society, for the answers lie within each and everyone of us. And in turn, I—and our magazine—promise to quench your thirst for knowledge with thought-provoking and insightful perspectives, in hopes of providing small clues in navigating this boiling world. Your truly, Lee Seung-ku Editor-in-chief The SNU Quill