International protest letter against the arrests of co-chairs of KoA
The Korean Alliance against the Korea-U.S. FTA (KoA)
Official Release, July 3, 2007
TO: The International Community Concerned about Democratic Principles
and Economic and Social Justice
RE: International Protest Letter against the Arrests of Co-Chairs of
the Korean Alliance against the Korea-U.S. FTA
INCLUDED: International Protest Letter (also attached)
THE SITUATION
On Tuesday, July 03, 2007, two Co-Chairs of the Korean Alliance
against the Korea-U.S. FTA, Oh Jong-ryul and Jung Gwang-hoon, were
arrested on charges of carrying out ’illegal’ and ’non-permitted’
protests against the free trade agreement between U.S. and Korea. Mr.
Oh and Mr. Jung are currently detained at a police station in Seoul;
in a few days, they will be relocated to another jail where they will
await sentencing. Korea’s consitution does not recognize a permit
system for rallies; only a notice needs to be given, which we have
done so without fail. We, the Korean Alliance, thus feel that their
arrests are a direct violation of democratic and constitutional right
to assemble and express our opinion. Since its formation in March
2006, the Korean Alliance has organized peaceful and legal
demonstrations against what we think is a seriously unjust agreement
for the people of Korea, the U.S., and the world. However, since
November 2006, the Roh Moo-hyun Administration has declared all Korean
Alliance’s public rallies illegal. Police suppression has been severe
on all activities of the Korean Alliance. We believe that the Roh
Moo-hyun Administration has gravely violated fundamental rights of the
people to assemble and oppose any unjust government practices.
Mr. Oh was born in 1938 in the city of Kwangju. He helped establish
the Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union, for which he was
imprisoned. He has worked tirelessly for democracy, unification, and
the abolition of Korea’s National Security Law, the latter for which
he was again imprisoned. Mr. Jung was born in 1939 in the city of
Haenam. He has been active in the democratic movement to demand
government responsibility, for which he was imprisoned for 4 years. He
has served as President of the Korean Peasants’ League, the national
federation of small farmers’ organizations. He has for years led the
farmers’ movement against the WTO and free trade.
CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL PROTEST LETTER
We ask the international community to carefully consider the situation
of Korea. What is happening in Korea happens daily around the world.
We call upon individuals and organziations to endorse this protest
letter.
– Please send endoresements via email to interstruggle@gmail.com
– Indicate that you endorse this letter, then give us your name,
organization, city, and country.
– Timing is crucial, so please send us your endorsements by July 13, 2007
INTERNATIONAL PROTEST LETTER
In Protest against the Arrests of Oh Jong-ryul and Jung Gwang-hoon
We Demand their Immediate Release!
We Demand an Immediate End to Police Suppression of the Korean Alliance!
July 3, 2007
From: International Community Concerned about Democratic Principles
and Economic and Social Justice
To: South Korea’s President Roh Moo-hyun
We are serisouly disappointed and troubled by the police suppression
of the Korean Alliance against the Korea-U.S. FTA and the arrests of
its two officers. We write this urgent letter to demand 1) the
immediate release of Mr. Oh Jong-ryul and Mr. Jung Gwang-hoon, two
Co-Chairs of the Korean Alliance and 2) an immediate end to police
suppression of the Korean Alliance.
First, the arrests of Mr. Oh and Mr. Jung are a direct violation of
basic democratic principles and constitutional rights. We believe that
South Korea is a democratic nation that guarantees, under the
constitution, the right to associate and oppose unjust practices of
ruling authority. These rights are fundamental to any democratic
nation, and we strongly feel that today’s arrests may represent a
retrogression of Korea’s status as a democratic nation. In addition,
the police’s disregard for their old age and health conditions shows a
sign of inhumane treatment.
Second, their arrests are an infringement of international principles
of political and civil rights. As a member of the United Nations,
South Korea has signed on to connventions that protect and promote the
advancement of social freedom and human rights. South Korea has made
important democratic strides since the 1970s. We have witnessed this
transformation. We urge the Roh Moo-hyun Administration, elected by
democratic means, to not forget Korea’s history and to foster
international and democratic principles. The rights of the people to
assemble and express their voices must be protected.
And third, we demand an immediate end of police suppression against
the Korean Alliance. We are aware that South Korea’s constitution
(Article 21) does not recognize a permit system for rallies; only
notices need to be given, which the Korean Alliance has done without
fail. Therefore, we believe that the activities of the Korean Alliance
is by no means illegal. The police suppression of FTA protests, which
we have seen in the media, is shocking. The fact that the Korean
Alliance’s activities are singled out and determined as illegal
indicates a direct attack against a people’s organization and an
obvious violation of Korea’s constitution.
We disapprove the decisions made by the Roh Moo-hyun Administration on
the officers and activities of the Korean Alliance. Along with the
recent suppression of Korean auto workers, we fear that the
suppression of the Korean Alliance signals a dangerous digressive
trend in Korea’s democracy. If this trend continues, we can promise
the Administration that the international community will not sit
still. We urge the Administration to correct its mistakes and return
the rights that are inherent to the people of Korea and the world.
The Korean Alliance against the Korea-U.S. FTA
150-982 Daeyoung Building 3F, 139 Youngdeungpo-dong 2-ga,
Youngdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Tel: 82-2-775-2501 www.nofta.or.kr
