Recent news that labor demonstrations demanding a minimum wage increase are intensifying in Indonesia evokes complex emotions in me, a Korean businessman who currently runs a business there after working as a laborer in Korea. As a businessman, I understand the management burden that a sudden wage increase would bring, but as someone who has directly experienced the past of Korean society, I feel a deeper empathy for the workers' desperate pleas. Their demands go beyond simply 'more money'; they are a desperate cry for the establishment of a minimum foundation for a humane life.
The scenes of demonstrations in Indonesia are strikingly similar to what Korea experienced in the 1980s and 90s. Peaceful gatherings turning into violent clashes, and the whole society being engulfed in anxiety, were scenes that repeated countless times in Korea as well. This is not simply due to the radicalism of the workers, but rather a complex interplay of the absence of dialogue and negotiation, and deep frustration over social inequality, where the fruits of economic growth are not fairly distributed.
The situation has become even more intense following the tragic death of an innocent journalist hit by a police armored vehicle. This shocking news ignited public anger, and some demonstrators have resorted to attacking the homes of ministers and lawmakers, making the situation uncontrollable. After this bloodshed, society is at risk of falling into a vicious cycle of revenge and violence rather than peaceful solutions.
This situation is directly affecting the daily lives of citizens. To ensure the safety of students, kindergartens and schools in major cities, including the capital Jakarta, have all switched to online classes. This goes beyond mere inconvenience and highlights the great confusion society is facing, along with concerns about a decline in education quality. The longer the demonstrations continue, the wider the educational gap will become, raising serious concerns about the negative impact on the growth of future generations.
It is impossible to predict how this demonstration will end. If the government simply tries to suppress it with force, it will only provoke a greater backlash. Conversely, unconditionally accepting all the demands of the labor movement is not a realistic solution either. What is needed now is a serious reflection and dialogue on the fundamental issues.
The lessons that Korean society has learned through long struggles and trial and error are the importance of 'communication' and 'compromise'. Before conflicts escalate, it is necessary to understand each other's positions and make efforts to find rational alternatives. I hope that the pain Indonesia is currently experiencing will be a growing pain towards a better society, and that further casualties will be avoided and a peaceful solution can be found.
