386 Generation
Encyclopedia
The 386 Generation is a term that refers to the generation
of South Korea
ns born in the 1960s who were very active politically as young adults, and instrumental in the democracy movement of the 1980s. The term was coined in the early 1990s, hinting at the then latest computer model, the 386
, and referring to people then in the 30s, having attended university in the 1980s, and born in the 1960s. As the time flows, the people in 386 generation are in the 40s and the '486 Generation' is also used.
This was the first generation of South Koreans to grow up free from the poverty that had marked Korea in the recent past. The broad political mood of the generation was far more left-leaning than that of their parents, or their eventual children. They played a pivotal role in the democratic protests which forced President Chun Doo-hwan
to call democratic elections in 1987, marking the transition from military rule to democracy
.
Members of the 386 generation now comprise much of the elite of Korean society. Kim Dae-jung benefitted from widespread 386er support, but it is the election of Roh Moo-hyun
who is the strongest demonstration of the more left leaning politics of the generation.
Generation
Generation , also known as procreation in biological sciences, is the act of producing offspring....
of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
ns born in the 1960s who were very active politically as young adults, and instrumental in the democracy movement of the 1980s. The term was coined in the early 1990s, hinting at the then latest computer model, the 386
Intel 80386
The Intel 80386, also known as the i386, or just 386, was a 32-bit microprocessor introduced by Intel in 1985. The first versions had 275,000 transistors and were used as the central processing unit of many workstations and high-end personal computers of the time...
, and referring to people then in the 30s, having attended university in the 1980s, and born in the 1960s. As the time flows, the people in 386 generation are in the 40s and the '486 Generation' is also used.
This was the first generation of South Koreans to grow up free from the poverty that had marked Korea in the recent past. The broad political mood of the generation was far more left-leaning than that of their parents, or their eventual children. They played a pivotal role in the democratic protests which forced President Chun Doo-hwan
Chun Doo-hwan
Chun Doo-hwan was a ROK Army general and the President of South Korea from 1980 to 1988. Chun was sentenced to death in 1996 for his heavy-handed response to the Gwangju Democratization Movement, but later pardoned by President Kim Young-sam with the advice of then President-elect Kim Dae-jung,...
to call democratic elections in 1987, marking the transition from military rule to democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
.
Members of the 386 generation now comprise much of the elite of Korean society. Kim Dae-jung benefitted from widespread 386er support, but it is the election of Roh Moo-hyun
Roh Moo-hyun
Roh Moo-hyun GOM GCB was the 16th President of South Korea .Roh's pre-presidential political career was focused on human rights advocacy for student activists in South Korea. His electoral career later expanded to a focus on overcoming regionalism in South Korean politics, culminating in his...
who is the strongest demonstration of the more left leaning politics of the generation.