On November 21, 2017, the 30th Student Council of the Korean National University of Education was launched. Its name of this team is “Saero-Gochim” which means to refresh. Shin Ji-yoon and Nam Hyung-min were elected as a president and a vice president of Student Council with a voter turnout of 50.73 percent and a majority approval rating of 95.99 percent. Saero-Gochim consists of a group of the Body, a Secretariat, and ministries of Education Rights, Social Solidarity and Communication Information. It has planned and directed various projects including the Miho Shuttle Bus, Bazaar, and management of the multi-purpose room and so on for about a year. In order to satisfy curiosity concerning the Student Council, INDIGO met Shin Ji-yoon and Nam Hyung-min.

Q. Can you introduce the Student Council?
A. Our slogan is ‘The Student Council with you.’ We
intend to make our rights our own, education for everyone
and beyond me to us. Preparing to run for the body of the
Student Council, we hoped for a comment ‘It was fortunate
that there was a Saero-Gochim.’ at the end of our term. We
wanted to be a Student Council that can change students’
lives with our existence.

Q. Please introduce the projects that the School Council has done.
A. We, the body, started in the graduation album business. For a high quality of graduation album, we conducted a survey and compiled feedback about the satisfaction rate on last graduation albums via our Facebook page. Besides
Facebook, we used various social media to promote our projects and collect opinions. For example, using Cheongram Square, we shared minutes, information and so on. Overall, we served as a communication channel in areas that should
reflect students’ needs more such as academic regulations, curriculum, and course applications. The Secretariat organized and operated Student Patrol with volunteers in order to prevent accidents, crimes in school and maintain independent security. The ministry of Education Rights arranged and shared educational issues in the form of card news at the end of every month. It also provided lectures
and films to students to think about education. The ministry of Social Solidarity office operated various businesses that can arouse social awareness in human rights. The Ministry of Communication and Information sought to make changes
by operating an agenda system to discuss issues received with the consent of more than ten people.

Q. When was the hardest moment?
A. Planning and pushing for ‘Orientation for prospective students’, which was the first and biggest project since the launch of the Saero-Gochim, was most difficult. It was also a project for freshmen who took their first steps at the KNUE,
which had a lot of work and burden. We couldn’t eat or sleep well during the three days.

Q. When did you feel proud of yourself?
A. All the moments that we felt we were being helpful tostudents in the school were rewarding and happy. We were happy to receive messages of encouragement through openchatting or a plus friend of Kakaotalk or when an anonymous letter arrived at the student center.

Q. Can you tell us what you think of the Student
Council?
A. The Student Council’s various tasks such as building governance in schools and the council on the improvementof Educational Environment is not simple things that can bedone in a year. It took a lot of effort because of the absence
of the Student Council the last two years. We hope that thenext Student Council be established so that they can develop things that we have not done before.

Q. Please comment freely!
A. The driving force was the warm interest and support of the students. Though we lacked effectiveness, we always appreciated having so much support. In addition, the Emergency Committee is being recruited as the Student Council election failed. Without a student representative, there is no way that students can ask for what they want. We ask you to pay a lot of attention student autonomy.

With the end of November, the Student Council ‘Saero-Gochim’ ended a rough year’s journey. It is time to pay a lot more attention to the new Emergency Committee. Dosan Ahn Chang-ho stressed the importance of political
participation. He said “Those who participate in the meetings are the owners, those who do not are guests.”