In the week before his fatal shooting, right-wing US political activist Charlie Kirk cheered the boom of conservative young men in South Korea and warned about a “globalist menace” in Tokyo on his first speaking tour of Asia.
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Kirk, 31, who helped amplify Republican President Donald Trump’s agenda to young voters with often inflammatory rhetoric focused on issues such as gender and immigration, was shot in the neck on Wednesday at a speaking event at a Utah university.
In Seoul on Friday, he spoke about how he “brought Trump to victory”, while addressing Build Up Korea 2025, a conservative conference that has previously featured speakers including Donald Trump Jnr.
“The phenomenon of young people, especially men, turning conservative is occurring simultaneously across multiple continents,” Kirk told the audience, who waved their phones and chanted “USA” as he entered the stage to an elaborate pyrotechnic display.
“It is not unique to the US, which is why it deserves more attention. That is why I chose South Korea as my first Asian destination.”
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The event also included a worship concert, a session on “how Christians can lead the World” and a video message from American diaper company Everylife, which says it has a “pro-life mission” and urged young South Koreans to “make more babies”.