Currently, there are many vacancies in the student council of Kyonggi University. At the time of the vote, most positions only had single candidates and a few had no candidates at all. The biggest reason is the lack of interest in the student council due to the continuation of non-face-to-face classes due to COVID-19. Even in the vote for and against a single candidate, there were cases in which the turnout was low. The university student council tried to encourage voting through a voting encouragement project. Currently, most of the university’s colleges don’t have a student representative, so the Emergency Response Committee takes care of the work instead. Pharos will check the current situation of Kyonggi University through interviews between the chairman of the Emergency Committee and other students.

Interview with the Head of the Emergency Committee 

Q. Why did you become the chairman of the Emergency Committee and what have you felt so far? 

A. At first, I didn't mean to. However, other students recommended me and it felt like a good opportunity, so I became chairman of the Emergency Committee. I expected it to be challenging, but I think it is even more difficult than I had thought, and I respect all past chairs. 

Q. How is the Emergency Committee conducted on behalf of the student council representatives? 

A. There is a difference between the chairman and the Emergency Committee itself, but the actual work is not different. I don't think there is much difference in the Emergency Committee because it is working with a better sense of responsibility for students' school life and the departments. 

Q. What damage can students suffer when the representative positions are vacant? 

A. The absence of a representative is not good. It is questionable whether operations of the department will be carried out normally, and pride in the department may also decrease. 

Q. What do you want to say as the chair of the Emergency Committee? 

A. This current state will operate temporarily until the chair is officially appointed, but it will never be neglected with responsibility. Until then, I hope that the classmates will trust our Emergency Committee and follow us well. Thank you. 

Interview with a Student at Kyonggi University

Q. How much do you know about the department's election and pledges? 

A. Since the student council elections have always been regularly held, I naturally knew the detailed rules of the college election. If I hadn't been active in the student council, I would be ignorant of student council information and elections. In terms of candidates and pledges, I didn't see much interest in them unless they were related to me. 

Q. Do you think COVID-19 affects voting? 

A. I think it has an effect. The Central Election Commission has established a plan using the university application so that students can participate in the vote non-face-to-face. However, in order for students to participate in the vote, I think there must first be interest in the operation of the student council. 

Q. What is the main reason for not participating in the election? 

A. I think the voter turnout rate naturally falls because there is no interest in the student council through non-face-to-face lectures. Recently, the proportion of freshmen who did not pay the student membership fee is rapidly increasing. This indicator shows how uninterested students are in the student council. 

Q. How do you think we can increase the election participation rate? 

A. It is necessary to attract student's attention by making the student council more visible. Therefore, it is important for the student council not only to encourage voting, such as through voting encouragement projects, but also to actively inform students of what projects they have usually carried out and achieved. In addition, it is necessary to devise a way to ensure that many students are well aware of the necessity of the student council. If the above process goes well, I will voluntarily participate in the vote because I personally feel the necessity of it.

 However, some might say that low turnout is not only the responsibility of voters, and some people say that high turnout is not always good. Rather, it is argued that if there are no appropriate alternatives to choose from, the low election participation rate is evidence of a healthy democratic consciousness. However, it is regrettable that most of the candidates for the department seats are vacant, and many departments operate instead through the Emergency Response Committee. The decline in turnout is a phenomenon that occurs not only in Korea but also around the world. Even now, many researchers are conducting various studies on the causes of low turnout. Korea attempted various changes nationwide, including the introduction of a proportional representation system to improve low turnout. The student community also needs to make several changes to induce students to participate in elections. 

 "There is a famous quote, “Elections are the flower of democracy.” Regarding the importance of participating in the vote, an advisor to the U.S. Election Commission said, “Even if it is invalid, it is better than not voting.” Research attempted at the national level is difficult to apply as it is to the situation of universities because opinions on the factors affecting voters' participation are divided. However, the fact remains that all studies emphasize the importance of voting. American novelist Louis L'Amour said, "In order for democracy to be established, we must become participants, not just observers. Those who don't vote, don't have the right to complain." University is not a place to transfer mechanical knowledge, but a communal society that learns ethics that can be applied between the world and ourselves. In order to lead a society that represents the interests of its members well, many students must become active participants. I recommend that students of Kyonggi University participate in the voting process in whatever way is possible."

 75th Reporter • KIM YUN JUNG • dbswnd7676@naver.com

76th Reporter • KIM HYUN A • hangitup@kyonggi.ac.kr