"With studio rent alone at 1.5 million won, discontent across all walks of life was bound to erupt"... France seethes over economic hardship

High school student protests calling for improvements to educational conditions
Spread across all walks of life amid rising prices and public service issues

In France, students' protests demanding improvements to educational conditions have expanded into broader discontent over rising prices and public services, drawing participation from people across society. A Korean living in Paris said the cost of living had risen, citing rent, dining out and public transportation fares, and described the protests as an expression of discontent across society that has gone beyond students' grievances.

The Champs-Elysees during the protest on the 17th. Reuters-Yonhap News

Wang Junkyung, a Korean who has lived in Paris for six years, appeared on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" on October 22 and said, "It started with high school students protesting poor educational conditions, but what's a little different now is that people from various walks of life who are dissatisfied with rising prices and public service issues are taking to the streets and protesting together."

Rent at 1.5 Million Won and a Beer at 20,000 Won... The Cost-of-Living Burden Grows

Wang cited housing costs as a major burden. He lives in a studio apartment of about 10 pyeong and said he pays 1,000 euros a month in rent, equivalent to about 1.5 million won. He explained that rent varies by the size of the home, with an apartment of about 8 pyeong costing 800 euros and a two-room apartment of more than 10 pyeong costing around 1,200 euros.

If one's monthly take-home pay is 2,000 euros, rent alone would take up nearly half of one's income. Wang said, "If your take-home pay is around 2,000 euros a month, almost half of it can go just toward rent."

Dining out is also expensive. Wang said that a 500-cc beer in Paris costs between about 9,000 won and nearly 20,000 won, depending on the venue. "I feel that the cost of living has risen considerably," he said, explaining that a beer can cost nearly 20,000 won at more expensive places.

Public transportation fares have also gone up. The Navigo, a monthly pass in Paris, rose from 75 euros in 2022 to just over 90 euros. Wang said, "It will go up by about 3 euros next year, reaching 93 euros."

He said he often heard from people around him that the economy had noticeably worsened from around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, when he first arrived in France.

 From Medical Staff to Police and Firefighters... Calls for Better Working Conditions Across the Board

Wang said the protests began with problems in education but have expanded to include discontent over staffing shortages and working conditions in public services.

"Schools are short of teachers, and healthcare workers are also raising concerns about staffing and working conditions," he said. "In September, there were also protests calling for better conditions and more staff for police officers and firefighters."

He also described conditions in schools. Citing an example he had come across in news reports, Wang said that in some cases, a homeroom teacher was unable to come to work on sick leave, and with no substitute available, students arrived at school only to sit in their classroom.

Regarding France's welfare system, he said, "I feel that because so much attention is paid to welfare, things are gradually being eroded in other areas." He added that, with a large share of the national budget going to welfare, accumulated grievances in various sectors seemed to have led to the protests. He said this was his personal view based on his experience living in the country.

Nighttime Curfews in Some Areas... Residents Concerned About Looting and Arson

As the protests continue, anxiety among residents has also grown. Wang said he had received many messages from acquaintances in Korea expressing concern about curfews, but explained that they were in effect at night only in some areas, such as Place de la République and Les Halles, rather than across all of Paris.

Violence at protest sites has also heightened concerns. Wang said, "People were very worried when they saw boutiques being smashed into and looted, and bicycles being set on fire and used to block the roads. Paris is a city where people use a lot of bicycles."

Police officers quell protests in France. Reuters-Yonhap News.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron has signaled a tough response as the protests drag on. With incidents of violence, including looting, increasing, he has also expressed his intention to deploy military forces on October 24 local time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.