단상斷想

The background to why Korea's elderly population is so deeply immersed in far-right ideologies involves a complex interplay of rapid aging and the resulting economic and social anxieties, as well as the organized incitement of politicians and far-right media. This phenomenon should be seen not as a simple matter of personal choice, but as a result of structural vulnerabilities being politically exploited.

Korea is entering a super-aged society at the fastest rate in the world, and the resulting economic poverty and social isolation of the elderly have reached a serious level. Among OECD countries, the elderly poverty rate and suicide rate are very high, and the life satisfaction of the elderly is significantly lower than that of other age groups. Of particular note is that the economic vulnerability of the elderly goes beyond the simple problem of income shortage. In a situation where economic preparation after retirement is insufficient, isolation and depression due to loss of social roles and changes in family structure are extreme. In the face of rapid social change, the elderly have felt a sense of powerlessness that their accumulated experience and knowledge are no longer valid, and this has led to a crisis of identity.

In the era of digital transformation, the elderly show structural vulnerabilities in accessing information. With a high dependence on traditional media, critical thinking and fact-checking skills are relatively lacking in the process of acquiring information through the Internet and social media. This digital divide has made the elderly more vulnerable to fake news and sensational content. In particular, the unverified acceptance of information distributed through KakaoTalk group chats and YouTube is becoming a serious problem. The phenomenon of the elderly recognizing information they encounter through social media as 'real news' and blindly believing fake news based on distrust of existing media is widespread.

The People Power Party and other conservative political forces have employed a strategy of actively utilizing the anxieties and grievances of the elderly as a political resource. Under the guise of "patriotism" and "traditional values," they have appealed to the elderly's desire for recognition by calling them the "backbone of the nation," while simultaneously and repeatedly injecting far-right messages that incite social and generational conflict. This strategy goes beyond simple political rhetoric and cleverly exploits the psychological vulnerabilities of the elderly. By assigning the role of "the last bastion protecting the nation" to the elderly, who are experiencing economic insecurity and social isolation, they attempt to satisfy their self-esteem while securing their political loyalty. In particular, the mobilization of the elderly, as represented by the Taegeukgi rallies, is a typical example of this strategy. The People Power Party and far-right forces have sought to secure political legitimacy through the participation of the elderly, while at the same time using them as a tool to deepen social divisions.

The political influence of the Korean elderly stems from their high voter turnout. In the 2022 20th presidential election, the voter turnout of the elderly aged 60 or older was 80.9%, significantly higher than that of those in their 20s (68.5%) and 30s (70.0%). This means that the elderly are a very important voter group in Korean politics. This high voter turnout amplifies the impact of the elderly's political opinions on election results. In contrast to the relatively low voter turnout of the younger generation, the political preferences of the elderly are a key factor in determining the direction of Korean politics. Analyzing the voting tendencies of the Korean elderly reveals an overwhelming support for conservative parties. In the 2022 presidential election, the approval rating of Yoon Seok-yeol among those in their 60s or older is estimated to be over 60%, which is significantly higher compared to other age groups. On the other hand, the approval rating for Lee Jae-myung remained around 30%. This voting tendency is a phenomenon that transcends regions. Even in the Honam region, which traditionally had a strong progressive tendency, the support rate for conservative parties among the elderly aged 60 or older was considerably high, and even more overwhelming support was shown in the Seoul metropolitan area and the Yeongnam region.

The far-right media ecosystem, centered on far-right media and YouTube, is becoming a key driver of the far-right radicalization of the elderly. They have created a closed information distribution structure, continuously exposing the elderly to fake news and sensational content. Of particular concern is the production of fake news for economic gain. Far-right YouTubers, who earn millions of won a day on the YouTube platform, are competitively producing sensational and provocative content, inciting the elderly. To increase clicks and views, they are making increasingly extreme claims, producing content that relies on emotional stimulation rather than fact-checking. This media ecosystem operates as a mechanism to reinforce the confirmation bias of the elderly. As they selectively accept only information that is consistent with their existing beliefs, the vicious cycle of reality perception becoming increasingly distorted is repeated.

The actions of the People Power Party and the far-right media should be assessed as a serious abandonment of social responsibility, going beyond simple political competition. Instead of presenting practical welfare expansion or social solidarity strengthening measures for the elderly, they focused solely on pursuing political gains through far-right agitation. This is an act of destroying the rational public sphere, which is a basic premise of democracy. Although the original purpose of politics is to solve social problems and improve the lives of the people, they led politics in a direction that incites social division and deepens intergenerational conflict. In particular, exploiting the economic vulnerability and psychological anxiety of the elderly for political purposes is an extremely unethical behavior.

The production and distribution of fake news by far-right media and political forces were systematic and organized. They incited anxiety among the elderly through factual distortion and biased interpretations, emphasized the ideologies of 'eradicating deep-rooted evils' and 'anti-communism/anti-North Korea,' and amplified resistance to social change. What is particularly serious is that this fake news goes beyond simple information errors, destroying trust among members of society and distorting the democratic decision-making process. As the elderly develop a distorted perception based on biased ideologies and fake news rather than structural solutions to real-world problems, it poses a serious threat to democracy and social integration in Korean society.

The People Power Party and far-right media deliberately incited conflict between the elderly and younger generations. They politically exploited the differences in interests between generations, taking the lead in creating mutual animosity. This has undermined social integration and blocked healthy intergenerational communication. In particular, the far-rightward shift of the elderly has led to a breakdown in communication with the younger generation, increasing cases of conflict even within families. This is a serious problem that goes beyond individual-level issues and weakens the solidarity of society as a whole.

The far-right turn of the Korean elderly is not a matter of individual choice but a structural problem. Without solving fundamental problems such as economic instability, social isolation, and digital alienation, this phenomenon cannot be fundamentally resolved. Politicians and the media must stop using the elderly as a political tool and focus on developing policies to improve their actual quality of life. In addition, it is urgent to block the distribution of fake news and establish institutional mechanisms to restore a healthy public sphere. Above all, we must face the negative impact of the far-right turn of the elderly on democracy and social integration in Korean society as a whole, and social efforts to solve this problem are needed. This is not just a problem for the elderly, but neglecting their actions that hinder the development of Korean society as a whole would be a dereliction of duty as a democratic citizen. I want to ask the People Power Party and far-right broadcasters. Don't you have parents?