Charlie Kirk's Death Stems A Rising Korean Conservative Tide

2025-09-12 03:12:55

(MENAFN- Asia Times) Charlie Kirk was best known in America as the founder of Turning Point USA , the largest conservative youth activist network. He built it into a nationwide force with clubs, conferences, and training programs – creating communities that gave conservative students a sense of belonging and identity.

Late last week, he made his first visit to Seoul . It would also be his last.

South Korea has long been shaped by student activism. From protests against authoritarian regimes in the 1980s to candlelight vigils in the 2010s, universities have been seedbeds of political energy.

There was an imbalance, however. In recent decades, progressive voices dominated campus politics. Conservative students often found themselves without infrastructure, funding or supportive networks.

This imbalance created space for Build Up Korea . Founded in 2023 by Mina Kim, the group set out to give conservative youth a platform of their own. Hosting Kirk at a conference last weekend, Kim told the visiting guru,“I basically copied the whole event that you host in America.”

Judging from the way Turning Point USA branched out to the UK in 2018, Kirk's presence in South Korea and his next stop, Japan, suggested the organization was now positioning itself well to expand into Asia.

Build Up Korea's mission was simple: connect young conservatives, counter the progressive dominance on campus and forge links with like-minded movements abroad. And it worked. In 2024, Build Up Korea's main stage belonged to Donald Trump Jr.

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