Online verbal violence in our society has escalated to the level of a "social disaster" that shakes the very foundation of the community. Recently, baseball player Choo Shin-soo filed a lawsuit against individuals who hurled unspeakable insults and derogatory remarks toward his family. The blade of malicious comments targets all fields and crosses borders indiscriminately. Even the UK’s Prince Harry has been engaged in a legal battle against "cyberbullying" that has persisted for over a decade. Malicious comments have transcended the issues of specific individuals or nations, becoming a global digital epidemic that civilized societies must collectively address.
Ultimately, the fundamental solution lies in prevention. The philosophy of the Sunfull Movement, which marks its 20th anniversary this year, aligns with this principle. An analysis conducted by the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education during the early stages of the movement’s expansion is noteworthy. Schools that introduced and practiced the Sunfull Movement saw a reduction of over 50% in school violence rates compared to before its implementation. This demonstrates that positive language and a culture of mutual respect act as the most powerful "psychological vaccine" to purify emotions and suppress violence.
Institutional improvements are urgently needed for effective character education. Just as the best way to excel in English conversation is to increase the proportion of practical English questions on the college entrance exam, impactful character education is only complete when volunteer hours for writing positive comments are recorded in school records and substantially reflected in college admissions. However, since the 2024 academic year, "community service outside school" has been excluded from college admissions considerations, leading to an over 80% decline in youth participation in volunteer activities. Consequently, the recognition of volunteer hours through Sunfull activities and their inclusion in school records have been effectively blocked.
A child who picks up trash on the street in their youth grows up not to litter carelessly. The same applies to the digital world. The experience of writing encouraging and comforting messages to others is the most reliable form of character education to foster empathy. Mechanical standards of fairness in college admissions should not rob us of this precious educational opportunity. The institutional channel for reflecting Sunfull activities in school records must be restored immediately.
Moreover, with the advent of generative AI technology, we have entered a state of "digital hyper-acceleration," where the production and spread of malicious comments occur at unprecedented speeds. Now, AI can be abused to generate tens of thousands of sophisticated hate expressions in an instant. To counter this massive wave, the Ministry of Education and related agencies must elevate Sunfull activities to a core character education task in the regular curriculum and lower institutional barriers to enable students to exert positive influence in the digital environment.
The role of major platform companies like Naver and Kakao is also critical. Having achieved remarkable growth as communication channels, they must take responsibility for healing the side effects. Beyond technical filtering, we expect them to lead systemic support and public contributions to spread the culture of positive comments. Only when internet platforms become arenas of warm encouragement rather than outlets for hatred will the true social value of these companies shine.
Furthermore, we urge the political sphere ahead of the local elections on June 3rd. The rampant vulgar language and malicious comments during election seasons are corroding democracy. We hope to see dignified candidates who win voters’ support through policies and visions rather than venomous rhetoric. Freedom of expression is not a weapon to trample on others’ human rights. It is more urgent to nurture one person who writes positive comments than to punish one malicious commenter. The government, businesses, and political circles must join forces to distribute the "Sunfull vaccine" and establish a mature internet culture.