May 5th, Children's Day!

- Yanna Lee

note: May 5th is Korea’s Children’s Day, treated as a national public holiday

Celebrating the 89th (2011) Children's Day in Korea

May 5th is like a second Christmas for the children of Korea. Stores are packed as children gush over new toys, and theme parks are congested with families that have come to enjoy the beautiful spring weather. Chil-dren’s day! It is one of the most awaited joyous days by children, when they enjoy some luxury for themselves. This may often bring up the question, is it really necessary for such a Children’s Day when Korean children are already living in such good conditions?

Such a day originated from a harsh period for children, during the Japanese colonization of Korea. At that time when adults were deemed as individuals who needed respect, children were neglected. This brought upon a Children’s movement aiming to improve the lives of children, and remind the society that the children were the seeds of the future. Consequently, in 1922, storyteller and children’s writer Bang Jung hwan found-ed Children’s Day in order to instill in the children a sense of independence and national pride. Children's Day highlights the dignity of children and their need for love, care, and respect, henceforth the motto, "Be a brave and genuine child and love and help each other." Despite the Japanese occupation, and the weak economic and political state Korea was in, its passion grew stronger, as can be seen not only from this proclamation for children, but also from the previous March Independence Movement (1919).

While the Japanese occupation re-stricted the holding of such events regularly, the movement for chil-dren’s rights still stood strong. Subse-quently the word “eorini” (어린이), meaning child, was created. This was a more respectful term for “child” than previously used names with derogatory connotations; this word was created to raise children’s position in society. To emphasize the im-portance of the children in Korea, a Child Welfare Constitution was passed in December 1961, and was finally officially established as a national holi-day in 1975.

A NOTABLE SECTION OF THE KOREAN CHILD CHARTER:

“The Constitution prohibits any form of discrimination against a child by securing the universal equality of all citizens”

“The parental guardians have the right and duty to protect and educate the child.”