Netizens to form party to cut tuition

Promoters open Internet page for ‘Education Revolution Party’


With heated debates underway over college tuition cuts, netizens are preparing to form a new political party to take the matter into their own hands.

The “Educational Revolution Party” webpage was recently opened by a Twitter user referring to himself as “Rainman,” but is currently under construction (http://www.edu4korea.net/).

“We plan to register the party to the National Election Commission and officially kick off between August and October this year,” the inaugurator said in an interview with Yonhap news agency on Tuesday.

If the present parties are unable to find a valid solution before next year’s general elections, there are no other ways but to create a new alternative party, he said.

“It is not our goal to clinch power in the upcoming elections but to make whatever necessary efforts to bring changes to the current educational reality of Korea,” he said.

The anonymous netizen described himself as chief executive of an IT enterprise in his 40s, but refused to give out further personal information.

“The college tuition problem is a crucial political issue which may no longer be dealt with on a civic group level,” he was quoted as saying.

“Justice would be no more than empty talk if it lacks executive power and this is why we have decided to organize a down-to-earth organization to realize our educational ideals,” he said.

The party, however, will refrain from banding with other political parties or civic groups and keep away from factional moves, he added.

The matrix of the ERP was the online “Tuition Party,” an unofficial discussion group formed last month by netizens who were angered at the staggering tuition dilemma.

The ever-rising college tuition fees, which have resulted in the suicides of several economically desperate students over the years, recently emerged as a political hot potato as the ruling Grand National Party promised to ease tuition burden.

Amid the controversies mounting over financial resources for tuition cuts, however, the party is seeking to restrict the benefits to students who score a high enough grade.

“Free higher education should not be a benefit which may be given out at the administrator’s will but a natural right for all,” said the founder of the preparatory educational party.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)