Why Stolen Numbers Spark Anger

Numbers transcend mere quantity, carrying profound cultural and symbolic weight across societies and disciplines. In East Asian cultures, '3' often signifies harmony, representing heaven, earth, and humanity. Western traditions associate '7' with luck and completion. Conversely, '4' is often avoided in Korea and China due to its pronunciation resembling the word for death, while in the West, it structures the world through cardinal directions and seasons. Even numbers like '13,' considered unlucky in the West, held sacred significance for the ancient Maya civilization.

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The number '4' is avoided in Korea, China, and Japan because its pronunciation is the same as 'death,' but in the West, it is recognized as a framework that constitutes the world, like the four directions (east, west, north, south) or the four seasons.

Mathematics and philosophy also imbue numbers with meaning. The 'golden ratio,' approximately 1.618, is recognized for its aesthetic appeal in nature and art. In the digital realm, the binary system's '0' and '1' are fundamental to information processing. The concept of '0,' originating in India, revolutionized mathematics by enabling systematic handling of vast numbers and representing both nothingness and infinite potential. Philosophically, the East views '0' as a state of emptiness capable of being filled, while the West sees it as a contrast to existence, a mirror of the lack of being.

China's particular fondness for the number '8' is a prime example of numerical symbolism. The pronunciation of 'ba' (八) in Mandarin is similar to 'fācái' (发财), meaning 'to get rich.' This linguistic connection has elevated '8' to a symbol of wealth and power. The 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony commenced at 8:08:08 PM on August 8, 2008, a symbolic display of this cultural affinity. In China, license plates featuring repeated '8's, like '88888,' are highly prized and can fetch exorbitant prices at auction, signifying immense wealth and status.

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The pronunciation of this number, 'ba' (八), in Chinese is similar to 'fācái' (发财), which means 'to get rich.'

This potent symbolism of numbers recently intersected with criminal activity in South Korea. In Gwangju, 14 current and former public officials were implicated in a scheme to illegally secure desirable license plate numbers, including "golden numbers" (like 5555, 4444) and other symbolically significant plates. These officials allegedly colluded with vehicle registration agencies, accepting bribes and favors in exchange for manipulating the random allocation system. An investigation, prompted by a citizen complaint, uncovered hundreds of such irregularities over three years. The principle of random assignment for vehicle numbers in South Korea aims for fairness and transparency, but this cartel undermined that system, leading to public outrage not just over the illicit gains but over the betrayal of trust in the administrative process. The incident underscores how a distorted sense of privilege, attached to the symbolism of numbers, can dismantle the foundations of public administration and erode societal trust.

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This crime, which turned a public administrative service that should operate on trust into a cartel for private gain, has angered many citizens.