Police Raided the Citizen’s Network for General Election of 2016 for alleged violation of Public Official Election Law

21 June 2016

1. Background 
On 16 June 2016, offices and staffs of the Citizen’s Network for General Election of 2016 (Change 2016) were seized and searched by the police, for the alleged violation of Public Official Election Law. The investigated organisations include People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), an NGO with ECOSOC consultative status, and South Korean Civil Society Organizations Network, which consists of more than 500 South Korean NGOs. They were leading organisations of the Change 2016. Below is the list of police confiscation. 

During the General Election of April 2016, more than 1,000 South Korean civil society organizations collectively established Change 2016 to conduct online blacklist campaigns and to encourage voters to participate in the election. Change 2016 conducted online campaign where voters could identify 10 worst candidates and choose 10 most urging pledges during election. Also, Change 2016 held a series of press conferences in front of the offices of the worst candidates selected by the voters. Below is the list of police confiscation.

On 24 April 2016, Seoul Election Commission filed a complaint against Change 2016 for violating Article 93(1) and Article 108(1) of Public Official Election Law. The search and seizure of 16 June were conducted based on this complaint with search warrant. The latest attack on Change 2016 in the form of sudden police search and seizure is rather arbitrary and clearly has the ulterior political motive of threatening and repressing the works of the South Korean civil society. On 21 June 2016, the Commissioner General of Korean National Police Agency, Sin-myeong KANG, said as below at the press briefing: “Regarding allegations of violating Public Official Election Act, it is important to identify conspiracy and joint principal offenders, who actually initiated and instigated such an action. Therefore, we searched and seized relevant people’s house and offices as a minimum measure to find out abovementioned issues.”. 

2. Relevant Domestic Laws 
In the Republic of Korea, freedom of expression offline during the election campaign period (180 days before election) is not fully guaranteed. Initially, the law even prohibited freedom of expression both offline and online, but in 2011, the Constitutional Court ruled that this article is partially unconstitutional, and freedom of expression online during the election campaign period should be guaranteed. The law was then revised according to the ruling, but freedom of expression offline is still restricted. Article 93(1) of the Public Official Election Act reads as follow.

Public Official Election Act Article 93(1) Prohibition of Unlawful Distribution or Posting, etc. of Documents and Pictures
(1) No one shall distribute, post, scatter, play, or run an advertisement, letter of greeting, poster, photograph, document, drawing, printed matter, recording tape, video tape, or the like which contains the contents supporting, recommending or opposing a political party (including the preparatory committee for formation of a political party, and the platform and policy of a political party; hereafter the same shall apply in this Article) or candidate (including a person who intends to be a candidate; hereafter the same shall apply in this Article) or showing the name of the political party or candidate with the intention of influencing the election, not in accordance with the provisions of this Act, from 180 days before the election day (the time when the reason for holding the election becomes final, in case of a special election) to the election day: Provided, That the same shall not apply to acts falling under any of the following subparagraphs: <Amended by Act No. 5412, Nov. 14, 1997; Act No. 5537, Apr. 30, 1998; Act No. 6663, Mar. 7, 2002; Act No. 7189, Mar. 12, 2004; Act No. 7681, Aug. 4, 2005; Act No. 9974, Jan. 25, 2010>
1. Cases where any candidate or any person falling under any of the subparagraphs of Article 60-3 (2) (including the chief of an election campaign liaison office, in cases falling under subparagraph 2, and, in such cases, "preliminary candidates" shall be deemed "candidates") personally hands out the name cards of a candidate under Article 60-3 (1) 2 during the election campaign period;
2. Ordinary political party activities under Article 37 (2) of the Political Parties Act during a period, other than the election period.

 

Also, the Public Official Election Act Article 108(1) prohibits a public opinion poll as follows:

Public Official Election Act Article 108(1) (Prohibition, etc. of Publication of Public Opinion Poll)
(1) No one shall publish or report, by quoting, the details or results of a public opinion poll (including a mock voting or popularity poll; hereafter the same shall also apply in this Article) that makes it possible to predict the approval rating of each political party or the successful candidate in an election, during a period between six days before the election day and the closing time of balloting on the election day. <Amended by Act No. 5412, Nov. 14, 1997; Act No. 7681, Aug. 4, 2005>

3. Alleged violations raised by the Election Commission
1) Violation of Article 93(1) of the Public Official Election Law
The Election Commission argues that Change 2016 violates Article 93(1) of Public Official Election Act because we held series of ‘protest’ condemning specific candidates in front of the candidate’s office. However, it was not a protest but a press conference, and we never specified the candidate’s name or used his/her picture during this press conference. To avoid violating this law that prohibits voter’s freedom of expression during the election period, we used a board with a hole replacing the candidate’s name rather than explicitly mention candidate’s name. During the press conference, we used a board with a hole, so that we can effectively express our view without explicitly mentioning the candidate’s name, within the boundaries of law. 

2) Violation of Article 108(1) of Public Official Election Law
Legal and polling experts have confirmed that the online campaign that Change 2016 conducted was indeed not a public opinion poll. Unlike the usual opinion poll targeting specific constituencies, the online campaign on the Change 2016 website allowed people to voluntarily visit the website and reply to the online campaign, and it was a legitimate exercise of voter’s freedom of expression. Therefore, it is not appropriate for Election Commission consider it a public online poll. 

4. Human Rights Violations 
1) Freedom of Expression during Election Campaign Period
Although the Public Official Election Act in its present form severely inhibits voters’ freedom of expression, Change 2016 has been organizing its campaigns within the boundaries of the law in compliance with the opinion of the National Election Commission. Legal and polling experts have confirmed that the online campaign that Change 2016 conducted was not a public opinion poll. Moreover, Change 2016 never displayed the names and photographs of the candidates in front of their campaign offices. Although the present Public Official Election Act restrains voters’ freedom of expression, Change 2016 operated within the boundaries of the law. The latest attack on Change 2016 in the form of sudden police search and seizure is rather arbitrary and clearly has the ulterior political motive of threatening and repressing the works of the South Korean civil society.

2) Collection of information which was not specified in the warrant
While confiscating the office of the South Korean Civil Society Organizations Network, the police extensively collected information, which was not even specified in the search warrant. They seized two hard disks and one external hard drive which were not used during General Election period therefore irrelevant to the current complaint. Also, the police confiscated four bank accounts related to the works of South Korean Civil Society Organizations Network without specifying the search period. Also, the tablet PC of the Secretary-General of South Korean Civil Society Organizations Network was seized as a whole without specifying relevant files. 

People Power!
This Month of the PSPD
 
 

PSPD is putting more efforts on many activities that it has been carrying out this year. More than 500 citizens have come to the PSPD anniversary on 6 September to give support. PSPD will always be within and with the citizens.

Victory for a public interest lawsuit against the police for interfering with the march, order of disperse and excessive evidence collecting 

PSPD has won a lawsuit for public interest again. At the first memorial of Sewol Ferry disaster on 16 April last year, PSPD and its members marched from PSPD secretariat office building to Seoul Square cherishing the deceased. When the march tried to meet bereaved families of Sewol Ferry disaster near Sejong government complex in the course, the police blocked, unreasonably ordered disperse and illegally took photos of the scene. Hence, Ha Tae-hoon, co-president and full time activists of PSPD sued the police for public interest to compensate ₩ 500,000 per person and the Judge Yim Jong-hyo of the Seoul Central Court decided to pay ₩ 300,000 based on following grounds.  

△ The course of the march was partly changed but it was small and the reason coincided with the purpose of the march △ There seemed no direct danger on the public order and security so that the disperse order of the police was not justified △ Despite of unlawful order of disperse, the police encouraged taking photos of the scene unnecessarily to pressurize the participants. Police of the Republic of Korea, please have some respects for citizens!  
 

Fear on continuous earthquakes, special measure is required for nuclear power plants
Continuous earthquakes have brought the fear in Korean peninsula. PSPD seriously concerns about the fear of earthquakes and the safety of nuclear power plants. Especially, the ‘Joint Action for nuclear free society’ in which PSPD participates held an emergency press conference “The outbreak of the biggest earthquake, nuclear power plants are dangerous” on 13 September. It said the risks are high because the earthquake on 12 September broke out in Kyeongju where nuclear power plants were densely located. It stressed out that Korea is no longer safe from earthquakes and thus we have to accept the danger signal, establish safety measures and break away from nuclear centered power policy. When another earthquake hit Kyeongju on 19 September, PSPD held an urgent press conference and released a joint statement “Continuous earthquakes, we demand the right to security” criticizing the government for failing to predict and prevent disasters, and urged to prepare a special measure for the safety of the people.  

Growing suspicions on corruptions of the Mir and K-Sports Foundation
Unbelievable corruption scandal has broken out. The Jeon Du-hwan administration established an absurd foundation “Ilhae” to forcibly collect contributions and regular bribes from large corporations abusing its power. Circumstances exposed on Mir and K-Sports Foundation are showing similarities with Ilhae. Growing suspicions are the involvement of close aides of the president Park Geun-hye, and breach of trust and bribery of Chaebols. Particularly, it is one of the serious scandals that Choi Soon-sil, a closest aide behind the curtain of the President Park and Ahn Jong-beom, senior secretary for policy coordination have deeply involved in establishment and management of Mir and K-Sports foundation. The investigation has to find the facts and bring the responsible to justice.
If it is found to be true that Ahn pressurized the Federation of Korean Industries to make contributions to fund-raising, it is obviously abusing the power of the government and that is, misfeasance. The acts of forced contribution of corporations are highly regarded as a breach of trust and bribery. If Choi truly intervened in human resources and management in general having the authority of the president on her back, it is misusing the authority for personal interest so that it should be treated strictly. As PSPD has devoted to the State power watch and Chaebol surveillance, it will do its best to find the truth of the case.    

Problems are found in both procedures and contents of ‘Dismissal based on performance’ system 

Park Geun-hye government constantly attempts to retrograde the labor law during the term. Recently, it made two guidelines to enable dismissal of low performers and ease criteria for changing rules of employment (working conditions). It is additionally pushing for applying ‘Annual salary based on performance’ system to the public sector. In doing so, it has violated restrictions on dismissal described in the Constitution and the Labor Standard Act, and procedures for preparation and amendment of employment rules. Problems are found not only the procedures but also in contents itself. ‘Annual salary based on performance’ system is in fact, dismissal based on performance since the performance in the public service area can’t be scored. It is to facilitate to classify low performers and eventually to fire them for making labor unions of the public sector and basic labor rights lose their powers. If public service collapses, damages will be all on citizens. The people should be able to use public service safely and at reasonable cost but the situation will come out the opposite. Hence, public sector unions resisted with general strikes at the end of September, and PSPD and the civil society have supported and worked together with them.      

Finally, Oxy Reckitt Benckiser officially apologized 

On 20-23 September, the Special Committee of State Administration Investigation for Oxy disaster and victims of humidifier disinfectant have carried out protests internationally. They visited the headquarter of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser in the UK to appeal and held a rally in front of the residence of British Prime Minister. They also went to the Serious Fraud Office to report Oxy for criminal charges and had a meeting with the Consumers International, an international consumer alliance in order to seek cooperation. Just then, Rakesh Kapoor CEO of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser officially apologized on 23 September. Therefore, the responsibility of the British headquarter is admitted and clear that Korean prosecutors should promptly summon, indict and bring them to justice. The National Assembly needs to extend the state administration investigation period because the Special Committee hasn’t even completed finding the truth phase. Including outcomes of activities in the UK, it has to complete its initial objectives; finding the truth, measures for compensation and specific measure to prevent reoccurrences. PSPD will closely work with the National Network for Humidifier Disinfectant Disaster in order for Punitive Damages Compensation, Collective Action Lawsuit, Punishing Corporation for serious disasters and revision of Chemical agents related legislations.

The baton passed from the movement for half tuition fee to abolishment of entrance fee 

The movement has commenced to abolish entrance fee of approx. one million won which is levied to new university students without any ground. PSPD held a press conference on 12 September in front of Sejong government complex for requesting a meeting with an Education Minister with open inquiry in respect to entrance fee. On 22 September, another press conference was held at the National Assembly to inform that entrance fee issue was reported to the Fair Trade Commission and it urged to pass the revision of the Higher Education Act. Educational foundations including Korea, Dongkuk, Hongik, Hanyang and Kyunghee University were reported respectively for abusing market dominance and unfair conduct (forced provision of benefits) of levying university entrance fee. On the other hand, the Youth PSPD reported Choi Kyung-hwan, a former deputy prime minister (current lawmaker of Saenuri Party) eight months ago charging him for illegally and unfairly provided a job for his close aide at the Small and Medium Business Corporation. It was proved that the Youth PSPD was right. The president of the Small and Medium Business Corporation testified at a court that Choi directly pressurized and asked for the position. The prosecutors must investigate Choi right away and punish him with strict standard.

Prosecutors started to summon General Election Net

There are ceaseless oppressions against the 2016 General Election Network of citizens (General Election Net).The police briefed an investigation report on 13 September concerning 22 activists of the General Election Net and forwarded the case to the prosecutors with an opinion of indictment. With no delay, the prosecutors summoned four main activists. Ahn Jin-geol, co-secretary-general of PSPD (co-chairman of the General Election Net) and Lee Gwang-ho, a secretary-general of the Incheon Peace and Welfare Solidarity appeared at the prosecutor’s office on 22 September and held a press briefing insisting ‘Why the General Election Net is innocent’. They protested with silence during interrogation of the police and prosecutors. On 28 September, Lee Jae-geun, a head of Policy Committee of PSPD and Lee Seung-hoon, a secretary-general of the Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea also appeared at the prosecutors. The General Election Net and PSPD will get a decision of innocent so that oppression and harassments of the power against voters’ movements do not repeat. 
 
  
Sewol Ferry Special Act must be revised

PSPD and civil organizations sincerely wish the victims of the Sewol Ferry disaster rest in peace and hope for those were on board but haven’t found yet to come back to their family; Danwon high school students (Jo Eun-hwa, Heo Da-yoon, Nam Hyun-cheol and Park Young-in), Danwon high school teachers (Yang Seung-jin and Ko Chang-seok) and other passengers (Kwon Jae-geun, Kwon Hyuck-soo and Lee Young-sook). 
PSPD is working hard with no pause for finding the truth of the Sewol Ferry disaster and preparing measures to prevent other disasters. On 21 September, it joined in a press conference announcing intensive activities for revision of the Sewol Ferry Special Act in front of the main gate of the National Assembly. It hasn’t stopped taking a part in the rally at Gwanghwamun Sewol Ferry Square. Now, the President Park Geun-hye and the Saenuri Party attempt to terminate the process of finding the truth and activities of the Sewol Ferry Special Committee as of the end of September. However, the National Assembly composed of bigger opposition parties does not seem to take any clear action to stop it. In order to secure enough time for the Special Investigation Committee to find the truth and appoint a special prosecutor for the disaster, the Sewol Ferry Special Act must be revised. 

Global Day of  Action on Military Spending (GDAMS)
How long  should South Korea stay as an international loser?

With the lowest welfare spending and highest suicide rate among OECD members, 
South Korea was ranked as the world's No. 10 military spender this year and No. 1 arms importer in 2014.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has released the 2015 annual world military expenditure figures today (4 May). There is a country which has been once again ranked as the world No. 10. It is, while being the tenth biggest global military spender, also recorded as the lowest welfare spender with the highest suicide rate among the 28 OECD countries. That nation is South Korea. The South Korean government has been spending 15% of its budget on military expenditure, which is 2.5 times bigger than the OECD average. The South Korean government has been pouring in 6 billion dollars over its acquisition of 40 F-35 fighter jets, the center of controversies over cost and technical problems. This is the reality of our nation, 'Hell Chosun', an infernal feudal kingdom.

Korea, breaking its usual record of world's top 10 arms importer became the world's biggest arms importer. The annual CRS (Congressional Research Service) report on Arms Transfers, published in December 2015, shows that the South Korean government bought arms and defense equipment worth 7.8 billion dollars in 2014, making it the number 1 weaponry importer in the world. About $7 billion of South Korea's contracts were made with the United States. Now South Korea has become the most lucrative client of the world's largest defense company, Lockheed Martin. This has been attributed to the South Korean government's decision to buy the fighters whose capabilities haven't yet been verified, even after the US refusal to allow core technologies' transfer to South Korea. Also, there's more good news for Lockheed Martin, which is that the US has reportedly agreed to deploy THAAD to South Korea.

Is the huge military expenditure justified? The nation, with an annual defence budget of $9.6 billion, has so far been discovered to have spent $876 million in defence industry corruption by a joint investigative team which was launched in 2014. According to the joint investigative team, there has been a continuous flow of bribes, the falsifying of public documents, shady arms acquisition processes etc. throughout the Army, Air force, and Navy. The 2014 National Defence Annual Reports says that within 10 years defence spending doubled from $4 billion to $8 billion. Anyone can guess that this figure is not healthy at all. 

Then have our 630 thousand soldiers been benefiting from this military spending? The biggest item in South Korea's military budget is labour costs, most of which has been spent on commissioned officers. Only 9% of the military labour cost budget has been allocated to enlisted soldiers, who make up 70% of the entire military force, while the commissioned officers, who only make up 11% of the military force, take 42% of the entire labour costs. The enlisted soldiers are on less than one seventh of the nation minimum income. Is this treatment fair and just?

Some may say that "we can't possibly reduce military spending while facing the North Korean threat". The fact that South Korea's military power is far superior to that of North Korea has already been acknowledged by the government. South Korea has been spending on its military budget an amount almost equivalent to North Korea's national GDP, without even factoring in expenditure on American army bases in South Korea. Unable to match that amount, North Korea may have had to focus on weapons of mass-destruction. The key to solving the inter-Korean tension is trust-building, not military spending increases. The recent news on North Korea's 4th nuclear test caused many South Korean politicians to propose developing our own nuclear weapons. Without stopping this vicious competition of military spending and force increases on the Korean peninsula,  the necessary dialogue cannot be initiated, hence peace will remain unreachable.

The world of arms, of which American President Eisenhower once said "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." still persists now. This year the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will issue an estimated $20.1 billion needed to provide humanitarian assistance to countries around the globe, including Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. We need to remind ourselves that last year alone the world spent $1.8 trillion on defence. Just 1% of the total international military spend would make so much difference if it were to be spent on humanitarian purposes and the eradication of poverty. 

More military spending will never bring in peace and safety to the world, but rather causes neighboring countries to increase their own military funding, therefore ending up enriching arms companies. Now is the time for us to rethink our priorities. The change we are hoping for will be brought forward by those who cry out "tax money for our lives, not for weapons" and the national assembly, which reviews and votes for bills based on our nation's voice. The 20th national assembly will have to allocate taxes to help its citizens facing hardship from cradle to grave. On the 5th of April  2016, celebrating the 6th Global Day of  Action on Military Spending, we propose to enter into such a paradigm shift in our escape from 'Hell Chosun'.

April 5, 2016

The GDAMS Preparatory Committee of Korea

For more information

The GDAMS website http://demilitarize.org

The GDAMS Korea website http://gdams.or.kr
The GDAMS Preparatory Committee of Seoul
People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy +82-2-723-4250, [email protected]

번역 : 윤현희 (참여연대 평화군축센터 자원활동가)

People Power 2017
This month of PSPD
 

PSPD’s 23rd Anniversary reception was held on 14 September and more than 400 members and citizens have come to celebrate. Once more, it was the time to bear in mind what PSPD as a civil organization exists for. ‘What citizen’s dream will come true’ as the motto of the anniversary reception says, PSPD will work hard to make members and citizens dream for the better society and the more peaceful world. The first anniversary of the candle revolution is around the corner. PSPD will do the best for the candle revolution started with the first action of the people on 29 October last year in Cheonggye square to advance democracy and improve real daily life of ordinary people. We hope you have fruitful and great Chuseok holiday and autumn.  

 
The facts of Beak Nam-ki, a deceased farmer case must be investigated this time

On behalf of the government, a Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon made a formal apology on 19 September in respect to the case of Beak Nam-ki, a deceased farmer who was stroke and dead by water cannon shot by the police. Lee defined the case as abusing entrusted power given by the people and took a life and said to conduct complete investigation and ask legal responsibility. Furthermore, he promised to reform system and culture to prevent same kinds of unfortunate accidents. It seems late but what has to be done. PSPD released comments right after the apology and urged to find the truth, punish the responsible and improve the system to prevent further cases. No one should become a victim of government’s violence any more.  

‘National Network for people to lead constitutional revision (provisional)’ established

While special committee for constitutional revision in the National Assembly is touring across the nation to hold discussions on revision of the constitution, civil societies have established preparation committee <National Network for people to lead constitutional revision> after having discussions for two months. What the network emphasizes is to secure actual participation of ordinary citizens in revision process and the contents should be oriented to increase not only basic rights but also social and economic rights. PSPD will try to respond well to constitutional revision issue which could seriously affect the future of Korea.

Allies with KBS and MBC union to straighten up public broadcasting

From midnight 4 September onwards, KBS and MBC unions have gone on strike urging to straighten up public broadcasting and overnight rally is being held every Friday. From hundreds to thousands of people participate in rallies shouting ‘MBC, KBS! Please come back’. PSPD also released a statement supporting actions of unions and is joining in Friday rallies. The strikes of two major broadcasters sparked empathy of the people that various fields of our society said to support and fight together demanding to return public broadcasting service back to normal which have been destroyed by Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administration. Civil Candle Revolution can be completed by rooting out corruptions and malpractices. Most of all, the press which have deceived and disguised the eyes and ears of the people must be cleaned off. Wish for the victory of ‘MBC, KBS! Please come back’

Court rules to disclose special activity expenses of the National Assembly 

PSPD won another important lawsuit for public interest. Seoul Administrative Court ruled that “special activity expenses of the National Assembly needs to be disclosed in terms of satisfying people’s right to know and securing transparency and legitimacy of lawmakers’ activities. Rejecting an argument of secretariat office of the National Assembly that disclosing special activity expense account would harm important benefit of the state, the court pointed out there is no check and control over from budget allocation to execution that it needs to open the expenditure to the people in principle.

Hence, PSPD urges the secretariat office to accept the court’s decision and transparently disclose it. In relation to this, there is ‘Committee to promote giving up lawmakers’ privileges’ under speaker of National Assembly and PSPD also requested the speaker in October 2016 to prepare measures to decrease special activity costs and increase transparency of execution. The secretariat office should try to abolish special activity account or clearly open how it is spent if truly necessary to execute.

Condolence to Cho Young-sam, an advocate of peace who opposed THAAD and the war

Cho Young-sam set fire to himself and died on 20 September. He left a letter protesting against THAAD deployment for US Army in Korea and appealed to realize the peace in Korean peninsula and proper reform. Together with National Action to stop THAAD deployment in Korea, Seongju residents Committee for THAAD withdrawal from Sosung, Kimcheon citizens Committee for No THAAD deployment, Won Buddhism emergency Committee for protecting Seongju, Daeju and Gyeongbuk Committee for No THAAD deployment, Busan Ulsan and Kyungnam Committee, Seongju Struggle Committee for THAAD withdrawal, Won Buddhism Civil Society Network, PSPD presented a condolence statement on 20 September expressing deep sorrow for such a mournful incident. They also held a press conference and demanded to withdraw THAAD deployment to both Korea and US governments.

On the other hand, it was the 400th day on 24 September since Kimcheon residents started candle rally against THAAD. PSPD activists and members also held a candle rally in Seoul on the same day. THAAD threatens the peace in Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia and there is no benefit but harm. Hence, PSPD will continue fighting to withdraw THAAD deployment. Once more, we would like to pay condolence to Cho Young-sam who tried to be priming water for THAAD withdrawal and the peace.

Request to investigate corrupted recruitment of public organizations and punish the responsible

A scandal frustrating the young Korean occurred again. The Board of Audit and Inspection announced the result of inspecting governance and human resource management of public organizations on 5 September and said more than 100 people have been unjustly hired to public organizations. Especially 493 out of 518 got a job at Gangwon Land by improper solicitation and the Hankyoreh Daily exposed it on 11 September. It has been found that secretaries of Kwon Seon-dong, a lawmaker of Liberty Korea Party have been recruited at Gangwon Land and Mine Reclamation Corporation and a suspicion rose for a niece of Lee Jeong-hyun, a former president of Saenuri Party for getting a job at Korea Aviation Industry by the backdoor.

While thousands of young people are having trouble in finding a job, young job seekers would deeply feel lost and deprived. Hence, Youth PSPD urged to investigate it strictly and punish people involved in requesting and accepting recruitment favor including Kwon Seon-dong and Lee Jeong-hyun, and reported them to the prosecutors jointly with Youth Union and other youth organizations on 25 September. The Youth PSPD has reported Choi Kyung-hwan, a lawmaker of Liberty Party Korea last year who illegally requested pubic corporation to hire his interns. Corrupted recruitment solicitation must be rooted out.

Joint Action for Political Reform submitted a petition to appeal three agenda and eleven tasks regarding to politic relation law

“Politic! Please listen to what people say!” <Joint Action for Political Reform> consisted of 422 labor, civil and social organizations nationwide presented three agenda and eleven tasks on 12 September and submitted a petition accordingly to the National Assembly Law. In the petition, the Joint Action argued that impeachment of a president proved that political system needs to improve fundamentally. Keys of representative democracy are election law and political party law associated with that election law that democracy cannot be realized without having the right system. In addition, it suggested three agenda including reforming the election law as people demand, diversity and increasing female participation and expanding the right to participate making everyone’s politic possible.

In terms of reforming the election law as people demand, it suggests followings △ Adopt mixed member proportional voting △ Increase number of seats of lawmakers without budget increase △Secure proportionality for local government council △ Adopt runoff for presidential and local governor elections. Regarding to diversity and expanding female participation, proposals are as below. △Mitigate political party establishment conditions and acknowledge local political party △strengthen female proportion system, △ Abolish numbering party, and lower down deposit of candidates and election costs conservation level. In respect to ‘Expand the right to vote to make everyone’s politic possible, followings are recommended △Secure the right to vote and eligibility for election to age 18 or older, and guarantee political activities of the youth, △Secure the right to expression of voters including abolition of Article 93 of the Election Law, △Guarantee basic political rights for teachers and public servants, △ Secure the right to vote including extending voting hours.
 

The decision to place THAAD in South Korea, which threatens peace in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia and violates the residents’ right to live peacefully, must be rescinded. 

The entire country is being shaken, and the already-dangerous political situation in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia is becoming even more unpredictable because on July 8, 2016, South Korea and the U.S. announced that they are deploying THAAD to South Korea. Up until South Korea and the U.S. officials announced Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province as the location for THAAD deployment, this process had been entirely ambiguous and one-sided. Even though a plethora of concerns regarding the use, the efficiency, the military/diplomatic prices, and the side effects of THAAD were raised, the South Korean government, behind the curtains, decided to follow the request of the U.S. Now, in Seongju, the anger and the resistance of its residents, who have suddenly been notified of the deployment of THAAD, are growing rapidly. 
 
THAAD is not a weapons system for the residents of the Korean peninsula or for their defense. 

THAAD is essentially a part of the U.S. Missile Defense System (MD). It will be the U.S. military and government that will be running THAAD. MD is an aggressive weapons system, based on the “absolutely stubborn” idea, which aims to incapacitate the missile attacks of the countries against the U.S. and enable the U.S. to launch missiles whenever they want to. The South Korean government is insisting that the deployment of THAAD is to defend the Korean Peninsula from North Korean nuclear weapons and missiles. However, recently, the government has admitted that THAAD cannot defend Seoul and its metropolitan area. The South Korean government is still advertising as if THAAD can at least defend the area within its 200km radius, but this is not true. 200km is nothing but a number to describe the range of the intercept missile attached to THAAD. But, the detectable range of the radar on THAAD theoretically reaches at most a few thousand kilometers. This is why there has been criticism that the main purpose of the frontline deployment of THAAD is to detect medium- to long-range missiles flying over the Korean Peninsula and nearby skies according to the U.S. military strategy. Therefore, there is no such thing as an “adequate” location to place THAAD in this country. The decision of South Korea and the U.S. to place THAAD in Seongju must be rescinded. 

THAAD deployment is militarily and diplomatically self-destructive measure, which will threaten the safety of South Korean citizens and become a severe obstruction in peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

South Korean THAAD is closely related to the missile defense system that was introduced to Japan. Deployment of THAAD to South Korea signifies that South Korea will be sucked into the U.S.-Japan MD, which targets not only North Korea but also China, as a subsidiary partner, and that the Korea-U.S.-Japan military cooperation system will become official. No matter how much South Korean government claims that this is essential to the South Korean sovereignty, the international society and neighboring countries will not accept it. The “strategic companion” relationship with China has become a meaningless term, and the basis of economic cooperation and the friendly relationship between the citizens of both countries can be at risk. China and Russia have already announced that they will be “taking correspondent measures.” It is obvious that this will also negatively affect the international cooperation to solve the nuclear problem in the Korean Peninsula. This is why THAAD can never be a tool to protect the safety of South Korean citizens and peace in the Korean Peninsula. The decision to place THAAD, the “real danger,” which brings threats and conflicts instead of peace, in South Korea must be rescinded.   

We also protest against the undemocratic and non-transparent decision process. 

Before facilitating THAAD deployment, exhibitions, discussions, and evaluations of its use, effects, and military/diplomatic significance should have been carried out. The information about the negotiation process must have been transparently released. However, the South Korean government skipped all these procedures and simply controlled all information. There was not enough discussion even within the related organizations. They treated this important matter, which puts the future of peace in the Korean Peninsula at stake, as if they are carrying out a military strategy. The South Korean national assembly, which represents all of South Korean citizens, never received any substantial reports. The character, the content, and the discussion process of “South Korea-U.S. joint working group for the discussion of THAAD deployment” were not shared with the National Assembly. Even after the decision to deploy THAAD in South Korea, the South Korean government is insisting that this does not require the agreement of the National Assembly. In the case of Seongju, which was decided as the location for THAAD deployment, the residents and the military officials received the unexpected news without any explanation. They were not notified of the negative effects on the environment surrounding the THAAD base and health of the residents. The undemocratic and non-transparent decision of the South Korean government to place THAAD must be rescinded immediately.  

THAAD deployment must receive the consent of the representative body, which in this case, is the National Assembly.

THAAD deployment is directly related to the lives and the safety of South Korean citizens and is a critical matter, which will influence the friendly cooperative relationship with neighboring countries. It may also cost an astronomical amount of money. Therefore, this matter cannot be solely decided by the administrative body; it needs the agreement of the National Assembly. More than anything, the dangerous practice of the South Korean government, which ignores the discussion process and treats this issue like a secret military strategy to avoid the regulation of the National Assembly, cannot be left uncontrolled. If the National Assembly represents all of South Korean citizens, they must stop the one-sided push of THAAD deployment and exercise their right to consent. If the government never asks for the agreement of the National Assembly, the National Assembly must restrain the government’s abuse of its authorities through every measure, such as an investigation in relation to government, an adaptation of the resolution to oppose, and a demand for jurisdiction dispute.  

We are going to start a pan-national peace action to rescind the decision to place THAAD in South Korea. 

We are going to start a pan-national peace action that gathers people from various backgrounds and publicizes the problems of this decision to rescind the decision to place THAAD in South Korea and to stop South Korea from being sucked into the U.S.-Japan missile defense system. We are going to form solidarity to prevent Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province from becoming another victim of state violence, like Pyeongtaek Deachuri or Jeju Gangjeong village. In addition, we are going to fight with all of South Korean citizens, so that THAAD will not be placed in Seongju or any other parts of South Korea. To accomplish this, we are going to actively try to convince and pressure local governments, the National Assembly, and related government organizations and will convey our message to governments and civil societies of neighboring countries, including the U.S. and japan. We will surely punish any abuse of power that undemocratically pushes for the placement of THAAD. Moreover, we are going to form solidarity to facilitate the reconciliation and the cooperation of North and South Korea and to form a peaceful system. The Korean Peninsula should no longer become an explosive warehouse, which is swayed and used by the arms race of the neighboring powers, but should transform as the stepping stone of Northeast Asian peace and cooperation. We are going to actively spread civil resistance and actions for the withdrawal of the decision to place THAAD and for peace in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. 

July 14, 2016

번역 : 목지수 (참여연대 평화군축센터 자원활동가)