Charlie Kirk’s Powerful Conservative Message Resonates in Asia Days Before His Untimely Death

Charlie Kirk, a right-wing American political activist, was on his first speaking tour of Asia the week before he was shot dead. He praised the rise of conservative young men in South Korea and cautioned about a “globalist menace” in Tokyo.

Kirk, 31, who used often harsh language centered on topics like immigration and gender to help spread Republican President Donald Trump’s agenda among young people, was shot in the neck on Wednesday while giving a speech at a university in Utah.

Conservative Youth Movement in South Korea: Charlie Kirk  Message at Build Up Korea 2025

He discussed how he “brought Trump to victory” on Friday in Seoul while speaking at Build Up Korea 2025, a conservative conference that has included speakers including Donald Trump Jr.
The crowd yelled “USA” and waved their phones as Kirk took the stage amid a lavish firework show. “The phenomenon of young people, especially men, turning conservative is occurring simultaneously across multiple continents,” Kirk said.

“It merits more attention since it is not exclusive to the United States. I decided to go to South Korea as my first Asian visit for this reason.”

Political Shifts and Gender Divide in Voting Trends Across Asia and the West

A praise performance, a talk on “How Christians Can Lead the World,” and a video message from the American diaper manufacturer Everylife emphasizing its “pro-life mission” and encouraging young South Koreans to “make more babies” were also part of the event.

In contrast to pre-pandemic years when both tended to vote for progressive parties, recent elections in North America, Europe, and Asia have seen young males voting for right-wing parties and young women leaning left.

In South Korea, where the liberal Democratic Party regained power after the conservative previous president was ousted and imprisoned for a botched effort to establish martial rule, opinion surveys indicate that the gender gap is especially pronounced.

Kirk’s Speech in Tokyo Highlights Globalist Threat and Immigration Concerns

Kirk left Seoul for Tokyo, where he gave a speech at a symposium organized by the new Sanseito party, which gained electoral traction by threatening a “silent invasion” of immigrants in a July upper house vote.
Prior to the event, Kirk said on YouTube, “I’m excited… to learn and to hopefully invigorate the people of your great nation to keep fighting this globalist menace.” The conversation was with a Sanseito legislator.

In a post on X on Thursday, the party’s leader, Sohei Kamiya, described Kirk as a “comrade committed to building the future with us” and expressed his shock and sadness at the news of his passing.

Global Political Landscape: Immigration, Lawfare, and Rising Nationalism Discussed by Kirk

When discussing his travel to Asia on his podcast this week, Kirk stated: “The same things we have been fighting for here – whether it be lawfare in South Korea or mass migration in Japan – this is a worldwide phenomenon.”
Although foreign-born people make up just 3% of the population in Japan—much less than in the US and Europe—record numbers of visitors in recent years have increased the visibility of foreigners in major cities.