Each election cycle in South Korea brings generational conflict to the forefront. Young people accuse older generations of having "enjoyed the good times while pulling up the ladder behind them." In turn, older generations criticize the youth for prioritizing complaints over effort. Disputes arise over housing prices, pension issues, and welfare and tax policies, with each side pointing fingers at the other. Politicians often exploit these conflicts for votes rather than seeking to mediate them.
However, there is a larger issue at play that we often overlook. The current generational conflict is not merely a clash between the young and the old; it is rooted in deeper problems that South Korean society has long neglected: urban concentration in Seoul and the erosion of community awareness.
South Korea has become one of the most urbanized countries in the world, with more than half of its population residing in the Seoul metropolitan area. Major corporations, government agencies, top universities, and cultural infrastructure are concentrated in Seoul and its surroundings. Young people from rural areas flock to the capital in search of better opportunities, while companies seek talent in the same region. This cycle perpetuates a growing divide between urban and rural areas.
The intensity of competition has reached unsustainable levels. Many fear that failing to enter Seoul will lead to being left behind, and even those who do make it face challenges in planning for the future due to high housing costs and living expenses. From college admissions to employment, promotions, and home ownership, everything has turned into a survival competition. Instead of viewing each other as community members, individuals now see one another as competitors.
Housing prices starkly illustrate this conflict. In Gangnam, the price of a single apartment can exceed tens of millions of won, widening the gap in perceptions between those who own assets and those who do not. For middle-aged individuals, rising housing prices may serve as a safety net for retirement, while for young people, they represent an insurmountable barrier. One side finds solace in the situation, while the other faces despair.
Pension issues reflect similar concerns. Young people worry that they will bear a heavier burden in the future, while older generations assert their rightful claims to the insurance premiums they have paid. Welfare policies also evoke similar sentiments; when one group receives support, another claims reverse discrimination. Social discussions increasingly focus on "who benefits more" rather than "what is beneficial for the community as a whole."
In this context, the value of fairness is becoming distorted. Fairness was originally about leveling the playing field and ensuring opportunities for all. Now, it is often used as a rationale to defend personal interests. Individuals argue that their gains are legitimate while viewing support for others as favoritism. Policies aimed at regional balanced development are labeled as reverse discrimination, youth support initiatives are criticized as populism, and elderly welfare is condemned as exploitation of future generations.
Each side has its reasons for its stance. The problem lies in the fact that everyone is focused solely on their own version of fairness. For a community to thrive, some degree of compromise and solidarity is necessary. Yet, contemporary South Korean society seems to prioritize rights over concessions and benefits over responsibilities.
Urban concentration in Seoul is a direct result of this mindset. For parents, relocating to the capital for better educational opportunities is a rational choice. For businesses, establishing headquarters in Seoul, where talent is concentrated, is an economic decision. It is natural for homeowners to wish for rising property values. However, when individual rationality combines, the overall society can reach irrational outcomes. Rural areas face decline, Seoul becomes overcrowded, housing and education costs soar, and birth rates plummet to the lowest levels in the world.
We are already paying the price for this situation. Regional universities struggle to fill their quotas, and small cities in rural areas worry for their very existence. Young people are postponing marriage and childbirth, middle-aged individuals are focused on asset protection, and the elderly are anxious about retirement. Despite widespread anxiety, people continue to blame one another. It is as if everyone is on the same boat but believes the others are rocking it.
In South Korea today, many speak of "fairness," but few discuss "community." Everyone claims their share, yet discussions about what individuals will contribute for future generations and local communities are scarce. At some point, we began to seek the benefits of community without bearing its costs. We hope for rising housing prices in Seoul while worrying about low birth rates, and we lament rural decline while choosing urban concentration. This is the contradiction of contemporary South Korean society.
Urban concentration and generational conflict are not separate issues. As opportunities concentrate in Seoul, the wealth gap widens, and as the wealth gap grows, generational conflict deepens. The deeper the conflict, the more individuals cling to their own interests. If this vicious cycle is not broken, South Korea will struggle to function as a cohesive community.
A society with fairness but lacking community cannot endure. What we need now is not more competition, but greater solidarity. Only when Seoul and rural areas, as well as the young and the old, view each other as partners in a shared destiny can we begin to envision a brighter future for South Korea.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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