LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - VOL. 11
KCCNYC Monthly - April 2025
By Eun Byoul Oh
April has just begun, and we are witnessing history made in front of our eyes.
Protesters celebrate after Yoon’s Impeachment.
Photo by Getty
Now former-President Yoon has been finally impeached on April 4, 2025, reminding us of the history that Korea has walked so far. This is the second impeachment upheld by the Constitutional Court of Korea, and it is the second one in seven years. The Court ruling was 8:0 – a unanimous vote to uphold the decision, and the ruling explained the rationales of the decision.
We shall not forget the democratization history of Korea, and Article 1 of the Korean Constitution:
The sovereignty of the Republic of Korea shall reside in the people, and all state authority shall emanate from the people.
The decision of the Constitutional Court demonstrates how the Constitution of Korea remains intact, and shall not falter against abuse of power by any government official. It has been announced tha the 21st Presidential Election for Korea is set to be held June 3, 2025.
“Before a rebel slaughter as the rebellion began. An American adviser, Lieut. Ralph Bliss, looks on silently where no advice will help.” Photo from LIFE Magazine, 1948
April is a month of remembrance for many families in Korea as we commemorate Jeju 4.3, where an estimated 30,000 to 60,000 people were killed in Jeju. It is also the month of commemoration for those who lost their lives in the Sewol Ferry Disaster on April 16, 2014. This incident contributed to the impeachment of President Park in 2016, the impeachment prior to President Yoon.
Artwork to commemorate the Sewol Ferry Disaster by @sensitive_minute
I also want to highlight that April is the month of Disability Awareness. The word for people with disabilities in Korean is 장애인 (Jang Ae In), which is a word with the “인” person suffix attached to the word “장애” which means obstacles or the things that cause difficulties. Growing up with Cerebral Palsy, I often thought about the what 장애인 is supposed to mean. I mean, does the word imply that people with disabilities are “obstacles” in society? Or does the word mean that people with disabilities are supposed to suffer? I know that Korea has gone through multiple discussions on how to change the word to be more “politically correct,” to a word like “장애우” (Jang Ae Woo) with the “우” suffix which means “friend” in Hanja, the sinitic-Korean root. The discussion of the change of the word met with a backlash from the community for its patronizing nature, and the changes never happened. Nevertheless, I still wonder if there is a better word in Korean for it—like how the word ‘crippled’ got replaced with the word ‘disabled’ in English.
But once again, I feel a little helpless thinking how the discussion on a ‘word’ does not even matter when Korea does not ‘act’ on their policies for the community of disabled people. The members of the organization SADD are protesting every day for the disabled community to be able to use public transportation: for the accessibility of transportation, and their right to transport. SADD and Noran Deulpan, known as “Nodeul”, are fighting for the rights of the disabled people to get out of institutions, and protect their rights to be educated and get job training. Despite the community’s outcries and effort to secure its basic rights, the Congress and the people often remain indifferent, making excuses that the rights of disabled community can wait. Perhaps the discussion on “what to call a disabled person” is the cheapest but the most effective “showy facade” that society can possibly offer. The Korean Disability Act (KDA) was implemented in 2007, but corporations and the government prefer to be fined for non-compliance rather than hiring people with disabilities or making facilities and infrastructure more accessible for everyone.
So, I write this month’s Editor’s Note with some sort of mission to bring your attention to Korea’s people with disabilities and their persistent fight to create a better world with equality. I hope the KCCNYC community hears their voices and can have insight into Korea with a broader understanding. I am afraid that the political upheaval in Korea may cause Korea’s general political rights, or human rights, to regress, which would bring debilitating consequences to the disability community as well—as the community’s voices will once again be at the bottom of the “to-do list” of Korea.
In this month’s newsletter, we highlight the 4.3 Jeju Uprising, and the U.S.’s deep involvement in Korea. For this month’s playlist, we curated songs from artists with disabilities. In the Community Corner, we are bringing the news of the newly launching KCCNYC’s Book Club “Dosan Hakdang.” KCCNYC has also launched a fundraiser for the Gyeongbuk Wildfire Recovery effort in Korea. All donations will be tax deductible, and the funds raised will be sent to Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association.
Illustration by Eomju for The Nation
In Korea, the activists fighting for various human rights, including the ones from the disability community greet each other with “투쟁,” which means to “fight to win.” The greeting was also used among those people who were on the street calling for the impeachment of Yoon. I want to wrap up this Editor’s Note with that greeting. May glory be with everyone in Korea who is fighting for his, her, or their rights.
투쟁!
Eun Byoul Oh
