People Power!
This month of the PSPD

The year 2017 has come. I wish you a happy New Year and hope you share blessings with neighbors. People tend to forget past years when a new year comes. I guess that is because to receive a new year with fresh mind. However, I wish the atmosphere of 2016 continues in 2017.

We have witnessed corruption and injustice through the Park Geun-hye - Choi Soon-sil Gate. PSPD will do the best to break them up and bring the fever and passion of citizens demonstrated in streets and daily scenes to correct Korea. Please give us a concern and support.   

2016 Whistle Blowers for public interest

<2016 Whistle Blowers for Public Interest and Righteous Citizen Awards> was held on 2 December in the warm and friendly mood. The Righteous Citizen Awards of PSPD was established in 2010 for the purpose of praising courage of whistle blowers for public interest who contribute to correct lies and wrongdoing by reporting corruption, waste of budget, and unconscionable acts to concerned authorities, the press or civil organizations. Candidates recommended by various fields were reviewed and six were selected for the awards. They were awarded with a plague and prize.

The awardees of 2016 include two chosen by PSPD who informed mass infection of hepatitis type C outbreak in Dana clinic, Kim Jeong-mi who reported Inganwon, a facility for the handicapped for subsidy embezzlement and violence against the handicapped and Cho Han-jun who reported starch producer Shinsong Industry for using rotten flour. Choi Sung-jo raised suspicion that Korea United Pharmaceutical falsely claim pharmaceutical costs and Kim Cheol-woo reported former president of Suwon Women University for embezzling school administration expense.
 

Urgent action to open the National Assembly Square to the public
Any citizen of Korea should be able to watch resolution process of impeachment and deliver opinions to lawmakers in person at the National Assembly on the day. Nevertheless, people were not able to watch the resolution of impeaching Park Geun-hye closely at the National Assembly Hall on 9 December. Starting on 6 December, PSPD is carrying out a campaign to collect citizens’ signatures urgently demanding to open the National Assembly Square to the public. It also presented a statement urging to open and a press release introducing cases of other countries.

PSPD has been demanding it for a long time. In 2013, it carried out a project campaign <Open National Assembly, Communicate Politics>and already presented a report how front courts of national assembly were used in overseas. Even though our demand was not responded this time, PSPD will continue this activity.    

A Forum <Desirable procedure of Impeachment trial> held

The National Assembly has accepted demand of the people and decided to impeach the President Park, and the Constitutional Court has set its hands to judge the impeachment. In regard to impeachment trial, there are issues to look into such as the nature and procedure of trial, evidence standard and criminal charges. Therefore, PSPD held a forum <Desirable procedure of impeachment trial> on 21 December in cooperation with Political Party Law Research Center of Korea University and Democratic Legal Studies Association. In the forum, Han Sang-hee, a law chool professor of Konkuk University, Kim Seon-teak, a law school professor of Korea University and Seo Bo-hak, a law school professor of Kyunghee University explained the nature and procedure of impeachment and spoke about their own opinions.

<Allegations and subjects Special Prosecutors must investigate to find the truth>
On 16 December, PSPD pointed out limitations of Special Investigation which has probed Park Geun-hye Choi Soon-sil scandal for monopolizing the state administration, and listed and presented a written opinion <Allegations and subjects Park Young-soo, a special prosecutor must investigate to find the truth>. Main suggestions include △ Kim Ki-choon, a former chief secretary for aiding, abetting and assisting Park and Choi to monopolize the state administration △ Woo Byung-woo, a former chief secretary for civil affairs for aiding, abetting and assisting Park and Choi to monopolize the state administration △ Economy and Politics Cronyism and bribery between Park Geun-hye and Chabeols. △ Park Geun-hye for dereliction of president’s duty in regard to the day Sewol Ferry sank and Hwang Gyo-an for concealing the responsibility of the government.

PSPD has opened the secretariat office for citizens

to rest who came to Gwanghwamun square to protest

The secretariat office of PSPD is located in the midway from Gwanghwamun square to the Blue House. While candle rallies and march demanding Park’s resignation were held despite of cold weather, PSPD has opened its office for protesters on 3 and 10 December. They were able to use toilets in the basement 1 and the 2nd floor and hot coffee was served for free to citizens passing by PSPD building thanks to anonymous contribution of coffee for 2,000 serves. We would like to convey gratitude to the supporter.    

Presented policy paper for direct election for director of district prosecutor office
PSPD presented policy paper <Direct election for director of district prosecutor office by residents – Strengthening democratic control over omnipotent prosecutors> on 1 December. It introduces a measure for direct election and suggests to elect 18 directors by residents and to entrust them with general authority on regional affairs.
PSPD has studied measures of democratic control over prosecutors since 2008 and started to insist direct election since 2010. As soon as the 20th National Assembly opened in last August, PSPD held a discussion to suggest direct election at the National Assembly and heard views. Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil gate has raised worries of politicians and the people regarding the reform of prosecutors and they started to pay more attention to what PSPD has suggested. Hence, PSPD will make more chances to explain and promote direct election of directors, and earn more public supports.  

Open Park Geun-hye Gate investigation timeline site

PSPD has been recording probe status and outcome of the Special Investigation Team continued after prosecutors and opened a website on 5 December for citizens to be able to check timeline anytime on the internet. It is made to facilitate the people to choose useful and effective information while the people get lost in flooded information. I hope the site helps citizens to check status and development of the investigation.

Petition campaign for damage compensation lawsuit against the National Pension Service

PSPD has submitted a petition of 12,000 for damage compensation against the National Pension Service to the government in cooperation with Public Pension for All and other organizations on 14 December. It requests to take legal action against authorities who badly influence the National Pension Service to support succession of the Samsugn Group management. In the course of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries merger in July 2015, Lee Jae-yong, a vice chairman of Samsung Electronics gave bribes to Choi Soon-sil for his succession and Hong Wan-sun, a head of investment management of the National Pension Service and Moon Hyung-pyo, former welfare minister supported Lee despite of causing damages to the Pension Service. They have been already reported for bribery, breach of trust and misfeasance and subjects of a probe. However, besides applying criminal charges, citizens as a member of the Service have the right to request damage compensation. The Pension Service, people’s security for declining years must not be unfairly misused again.
 

Public interest Litigation obtained a permission to march up to 100 meters from the boundary of the Blue House
On 3 December, Citizen Action for Park’s Resignation marched to 100 meters from the fence of the Blue House. The Citizen Action for Resignation has complained that the decision of the police to prohibit or conditionally permit rally and march on 3 December was unfair and Seoul Administration Court has admitted it and ruled to secure rally and march up to 100 meters from the Blue House. Consecutively for five weeks, the Public Interest Law Center of the PSPD has tried to get provisional disposition of suspension of execution for weekend rallies and it also took care of this suspension of execution case.

However, no rally and march are still allowed within 100 meters radius from the boundary of the Blue House because the Article 11 of the Act on Assembly and Demonstration defines it as imperatively prohibited area. Unconstitutionality of prohibiting assembly and demonstration within 100 meters radius from boundary of the Blue House, National Assembly and residence of a prime minister is under review and PSPD also has requested lawmakers to revise the Article 11.
 

PSPD Newsletter, February 2016

Happy Participation, Heartwarming Solidarity This Month of the PSPD
 

● 2016 General Election is around the corner! General Election Preparation, GO! GO! GO!
▶ There is no doubt that upcoming General Election and Presidential Election are very important event which would have a great influence on the present and the future Korean society. The picture of election is getting complicated because oppositions have split up while the President Park Geun-hye and the Blue House have stepped in the election. Usually, the main issue of a general election in the middle of presidential term is judgment over current government and a leading party but the President and the Blue House are asking the people to judge oppositions and incompetent National Assembly. Despite that democracy in economy is a promise of the Park Geun-hye government, it is pushing for retrograded reform of the labor law putting blames on workers for a principle cause of economic crisis. To cope with all these, civil society and social movements should expose true faces of authorities in power and inquire inability of oppositions which have failed to check. It is essential to lead and increase the participation level and the fever of voters.   

 
● The School for public interest activities of the Young
▶ The ‘PSPD the Young’ is an affiliate organization of the PSPD and it runs an awesome and dynamic education and participation program called ‘The School for public interest activities of the young’. Even though living in a harsh period especially for the young people, enthusiastic twenty one have enrolled to study PSPD, and civil and social activities. The program includes University Education with a civil think tank Korea University Education Research Institute, Free of Nuclear with Kim Ik-joong, Labor Movement with Ha Jong-kang and Green politics with Ha Seung-su a president of Green Party Korea.   

● Solid and conscientious prosecutors are hard to survive in the Korean Prosecutors Office
▶ The Judicial Watch of PSPD Keeps working for a prosecutor Yim Eun-jeong who was punished for demanding innocent for Yoon Kil-joong at the retrial who was said to be guilty for violating the National Security Act in 2012. Oddly, the Prosecutors Office categorized Yim from Prosecutor Competence Assessment to subject to Depth Assessment but judges unanimously gave her pass. In regard to this incident, PSPD presented a comment on 13 January urging the Ministry of Justice to improve Competence Assessment System in order to stop misusing it to dismiss good conscientious prosecutors. 

● The Court said to withdraw the decision not to open security education movie of the Ministry of Defense
▶ The PSPD has won the case of request for information disclosure on 21 January. The Seoul Administration Court said the Ministry of Defense to withdraw the decision not to open security education movie which became an issue because of violent contents such as forced termination. It was obvious decision since the Ministry did not comply with the law. PSPD welcomed it and urged the Ministry to swiftly disclose the movie and improve typical close-door attitude. To take this opportunity, social discussions regarding security education of the Ministry and the Armed forces have to take place, and contents and manners of security education need to be changed in depth.

● Responding to a haste agreement on ‘comfort woman’ of Japanese Army continues
▶ The Peace and Disarmament Center requested to disclose the information concerning the agreement on comfort woman between the Korean and Japanese foreign ministries. The questions were made to Yoon Byung-se, a foreign minister requesting to open the process and contents of the agreement. As anger of the people is growing, the government needs to show detailed discussions, process, agenda between two nations and following government’s stance and documents transparently so that the conflict can be settled and resolutions understandable for sex slave victims are found. PSPD is actively participating in <Holding hands with sex slave victims of Japanese Army> and <National Action to invalidate the agreement on comfort woman and for a righteous settlement>    

● Handed in 1mm size letter of protest concerning the court’s decision that Home Plus is not guilty for illegally selling customer information
▶ The Home Plus has sold customer’s personal information to insurance companies without consent and accordingly has been prosecuted for violating the private information protection Act. However, the Court said on 8 January that not only the Home Plus Co. Ltd but also executives were all innocent. Therefore, the Campaign for Anyone with Stable Life presented a joint statement together with the Consumer Protection Center of Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice and the Jinbo Network denouncing the court for ignoring damages on customers and giving an indulgence to the Home Plus. In addition, 1mm size letter of protest was handed in to the court in charge on 13 January to make an appeal against the ground of court’s decision. The Court insisted that customers have agreed on information provision written in 1mm size on a gift event application used by the Home Plus to collect and sell customer information. The letter of protest made in 1mm size was covered in various presses and PSPD received big supports from the people. PSPD is looking forward to having a right judgment at the appeal.
 
● Asking the Blue House if promises for economic democracy have been kept?
▶ From the end of last year till today, the Blue House, the Korea Fair Trade Commission, the Ministry of Planning and Finance, Kim Moo-sung, a president of Saenuri Party have tried to convince the people that the Park Guen-hye government has kept most of its promises to achieve economic democracy. However, PSPD analysis shows that 10 out of 18 economic democracy policies from the presidential election promises have not been carried out at all. Six have been partly implemented and only two have been completed as promised. Especially the PSPD pointed out that core policies are among 10 unimplemented including revised business bills for economic democracy and Chabeol reform for the purpose of stopping and preventing power abuses and evil practices of large conglomerates. It also strongly criticized that telling lies to have kept promises was truly inappropriate behavior. The Economic and Finance Center presented a press release, wrote columns and visited the Blue House on 21 January to appeal. PSPD will keep trying to resolve economic democracy related matters, Chabeol reform and Gap-Eul problem (Power abuse).
 

● Exposed and denounced government-initiated petition of Park Geun-hye and Chabeol to enact retrograded labor reform bill
▶ The Labor and Society committee presented an urgent press release on 20 January “Economic and finance circles have mobilized employees for getting signatures on the petition to demand biased legislation favorable for Chabeol and large conglomerates”. The Korean Finance and Service Workers Union and Park Won-seok, a lawmaker of the Justice Party obtained and exposed an official document which economic organizations and six financial associations asked member companies and organizations to collect signatures of employees, visitors and financial planners for “The petition to collect ten thousands signatures to enact ‘Saving economy (Saving livelihood) bills”. The document has confirmed that the petition in progress is a typical government-initiated action and public opinion manipulation led by the Blue House, economic circles and employer organizations. Without having a national discussion and social consensus, Park Geun-hye has bluntly forced Jeong Eui-hwa, a National Assembly Speaker to execute discharging power and even carried out authority controlled petition.

People Power! This month of the PSPD

 How hot will it be this summer? The elderly living in a back room alone would have to fight with hot summer. I hope no villages suffer from heavy rain and flood. Everyone stays healthy and has less trouble during the summer. Getting strength from your support, PSPD has carried out various projects in June, beginning of the summer.
  

Suggested bills and policies for the 20th National Assembly 

PSPD has been active to make the 20th National Assembly get closer and care for the people. On 26 May right before it’s opening, PSPD has organized urgent agendas and published 69 bills to enact and 15 policies for the 20th National Assembly to deal with during the term. It held a press conference on 30 May, the first day of the 20th National Assembly in front of the National Assembly emphasizing five the most urgent agendas as follow. 
△ Secure the term and authority of the Special Investigation Committee for Sewol Ferry in order to find the enough truth △ Hold a hearing to find the truth for humidifier sanitizer disaster and improve the system to prevent △ Abolish NIS reform and Terror Prevention Act △ Reform the Housing Lease Protection Act to ease the burden of housing cost and stabilize the housing including setting the upper limit of deposit and rental fee △ Hold a hearing for Parents Union Gate in respect to the Blue House’s control over far-right organizations. 
Five agendas to make the National Assembly get closer to the People were also presented.
 

“Assembly and Demonstration must be held where a counterpart can see and hear”

The current law on assembly and demonstration was made during Park Jeong-hee administration. It seems made to regulate rather than secure the right to assemble and demonstrate. Representatively, the Article 11 prohibits assembly and demonstration within 100 meters radius from boundary of the National Assembly, 100 meters from the Blue House, 100 meters from all levels of courts, 100 meters from the residence of the Prime Minister where in fact,  have to pay more attention to the voice of the people. Even small rallies less than 10 people and silent demonstrations are not allowed. During Park Jeong-hee administration, demonstrations within 100 meters from provincial governments and railway stations were also prohibited. Should we say ‘what a relief!‘ that those were abolished now?

PSPD has set up an internal <Task Force to secure the freedom of Assembly and Demonstration> for the purpose of responding more systematically and with consistency to infringements on the freedom to Assemble and Demonstrate. The first goal is to reform the Article 11 that it presented <In which cases the Article 11(places prohibited) has applied?> on 20 June and held a discussion on the next day in cooperation with a lawmaker Park Ju-min and Lee Jae-jeong.

As far as it is peaceful, no nations like UK, Japan, US and Canada do not prohibit assemblies. Assembly and demonstration must be held where a counterpart can see and hear and we will try to make it happen.

Delivered the status of human rights infringements in Korea to the UN Human Rights Council

UN special rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and association has visited Korea in January. PSPD and human rights organizations have explained the situation of infringements on the freedom of assembly and association and requested an attention to the UN Human Rights Council. After the return, the special rapporteur conducted an investigation and presented an official report on Korea on 17 June at the 32nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council. The report has listed cases of government’s oppressions over citizens’ assemblies and commented that “It would undermine everything that the Republic of Korea has achieved to date”.  

PSPD has formed a delegation with representatives of human rights organizations in Korea and participated in the 32nd session which was held from 13 to 17 June in Geneva. Especially, the delegation thoroughly explained the case of Baek Nam-ki who has been struck by merciless water cannon during the rally last November and still in coma to UN special rapporteur and authorities. In front of UN headquarters in Geneva, they held a rally demanding to ban the use of water cannon in assemblies and demonstrations and urging for release of Han Sang-gyun a president of the Korea Confederation of Trade Union (KCTU) and KCTU members who have been arrested for organizing a demonstration.
 

Meal treats, gifts and cash contribution for congratulation or condolence, the upper limits set to ₩30,000, ₩50,000, ₩100,000 respectively

The law to prohibit asking unjust favors, known as ‘Kim Young-ran Act’ will be enforced from September. It has passed the National Assembly last March and detailed enforcement ordinance would be finalized soon. Since the notice for enactment is released that upper limits public servants can receive are set to ₩30,000 for meal treats, ₩50,000 for gifts and ₩100,000 for cash contribution for congratulation or condolence, corporates, farm and dairy industry and food and beverage industry have raised their voice of opposition. They ask to raise limits and exclude farm and dairy products from a gift list for public servants insisting that domestic consumption would shrink and producers would be threatened. Not only their argument is exaggerated but also efforts to root out bribery and corruptions will fail if their demands are accepted.

On 21 June, one day before advance notice for a new bill was closed, PSPD has met vice chairperson of the Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission at his office in Sejong City and asked not to step back. In this meeting, Young Korean Academy, YMCA Korea and other organizations which have worked for anti-corruption have joined. Online petition is in progress to sustain amount limits and not to allow exceptions since 13 June. It will continue until the cabinet council confirms the enforcement ordinance. You may participate in online citizen petition campaign at PSPD website.     

 
Search and seizure on PSPD members, must have surprised you.

On 16 June, the Intelligent Crime Team of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency directed by the Supreme Prosecutors Office conducted search and seizure on Ahn Jin-geol, a co-secretary general of PSPD, Lee Jae-geun, a head of Policy Planning division and civil society activists who worked for the General Election Network of Citizens. It has insisted that the Network violated the Election Law by conducting and releasing a result of a survey without registering to the National Election Commission. The survey was to ‘Select 10 worst candidates’ and the authority regarded it as opinion poll which enabled to predict political party support rate and winners

Furthermore, it has argued that ‘loser tour’ press conference was also a violation. They were held to inform a candidate of being listed in defeated candidates outside their offices but names of candidates were not shown on banners and pickets complying to the law. 

What they insist are absurd because they are not facts. The National Election Commission officers were present at ‘loser tour’ press conference sites. Any potential violations were consulted in advance. There was no warning on violation of the law from the authority until press conference was completed.

One fortunate thing is that PSPD activists and lawyers protected materials and information unrelated to General Election Network activities including PSPD private resources and member information when the police searched desks and computers of Ahn and Lee. PSPD will stop unfair and unreasonable investigation of the prosecutors and the police. Even if prosecuted, it will do the best to get a decision of innocence at court. Activities of voters should not be regarded as illegal followed by punishment. Furthermore, PSPD will take this occasion as a chance to reform the Election Law for Public Officers which oppresses voters’ actions. 
    
 

People Power! 
This month of the PSPD
 

Information Release! What you should know before voting

PSPD has defined the 20th Assembly Election as the judgment and conversion, and released must-know-information for voters to make a right decision.
It has listed 37 lawmakers who representatively proposed 59 bad bills of the 19th Assembly and published an issue report <Who has proposed bad bills during the 19th Assembly?> on 13 March. It was followed by <The second half of the 19th Assembly, vote results of step stone and hurdle bills> on 16 March which examined who voted for or against 7 step stone bills and 12 hurdle bills that have passed the Assembly. <Remarks and attitudes of lawmakers of the 19th Assembly for major issues of Korean society> was also presented on 22 March that their comments and actions were described in detail in respect to interfering Sewol Ferry disaster investigation, defending National Intelligence Service’s involvement in the Presidential Election and opposing its reform, government-led national history textbook, beautifying the agreement between Korean and Japanese government on comfort women, and supporting unqualified candidates for government officers at hearings.    

Policy proposal <We vote to the hope> 

A certain figure can give a hope but PSPD would like to give a priority to policies. PSPD has written a series of articles <We vote to the hope> from 9 March at an internet media <Oh My News>. In prior to this, it presented <52 policy assignments to look into at the 2016 General Election> on 7 March, and proposed them to each parties and asked to reflect in election promises.  

Campaign to check provision of my communication data 

After Terror Prevention Act passed the National Assembly, it has become an issue that the National Intelligence Service, the police and the prosecutors are checking a personal and telecommunication data of a certain telephone number through mobile service providers. PSPD has dealt the problem of ‘Provision of communication Data’ seriously since 2010 that NIS has collected personal information of a telephone number and a writer of online post from mobile and internet service provider such as Naver under the excuse of investigation.

PSPS organized a civil campaign in February asking the citizen to check if their telecommunication data (identification) have been submitted to NIS or the police and has resumed it together with Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Jinbo Network. This can be done by contacting online customer service center of each provider and making a request. If provision to NIS or the Police is confirmed, please let PSPD know. A legal action will be taken to inquire the reason.
 

Published a Prosecutors report on three years of Park Geun-hye administration

PSPD published <Prosecutors report on three years of Park Geun-hye administration> on 23 March. It is the 8th on prosecutors since the first one was released in February 2009 at the first year of Lee Myung-bak administration.
 

Appealed problems with the Terror Prevention Act to the UN Human Rights Council 

Representing 52 Korean civil society organizations, PSPD and Minbyun participated in UN Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Switzerland on 10 March and spoke about problems with the Terror Prevention Act. The speech was made during a bilateral talk with a special rapporteur on counter-terrorism. They asked a rapporteur to recommend the Korean government to dispose the Terror Prevention Act and stop abusing the authority of the NIS.   
In addition, a resolution on the protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests was made so that PSPD has sent a joint letter with human rights defender organizations in overseas to UN human rights council member states urging to pass the resolution.

Presented the first issue report on household debt 

Household debt problem is getting worse both in quantity and quality but the government is not actively doing something to resolve it. Therefore, PSPD presented <Household debt issue report Ⅰ, is household debt manageable?> on 22 March to judge if a decision of the government has been right.

 
‘Korean Peninsula Peace Forum’ was held to find peaceful measures for military dispute

The peace has disappeared from the Korean peninsula because of South-North dispute started early this year, closure of Gaeseong industrial complex and large scale military drills of both sides. Meanwhile, the first <Korean Peninsula Peace Forum> was held on 21 March at the Seoul Press Center in which religious groups and civil society have participated. PSPD supports the forum with administration.

It is a temporarily co-operation set up to find peaceful measures to resolve military confrontation and dispute in Korean peninsula and the Northeast Asia. The participants of the first forum presented a statement asking to stop all armed protests and start a peace talk. It also emphasized denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula including North Korea’s giving up of nuclear weapon development and working for a peace agreement in order to settle down Korean Peninsula crisis.
 
 

PSPD Newsletter, March 2016

Happy Participation, Heartwarming Solidarity This Month of the PSPD

The March has come. It is only a month away from the 20th General Election which would have a great impact on the future of our society. PSPD secretariat office is getting busier day by day. With thanks to the support of PSPD members and citizens wishing for a better society, Let me brief what PSPD has done last February.

Start of ‘Making the General Election for judgment and conversion’

PSPD has defined the 20^th General Election which will take place on 13 April as the election for judgment and conversion. It should become an opportunity to judge wrongful politics and performance of the state administration, and convert for a better society.

In order to realize it, PSPD has prepared from January to provide necessary information to voters and suggest policies to be adopted for election promises. The first outcome ‘Assessment on public commitment’ was released through investigative journal <Newstapa> in late February and examined how many promises of the 19^th General Election have implemented. In early March, policies essential for conversion will be presented.  

No Counter-Terrorism Act that would only increase the power of the National Intelligence Service

The Government has pressurized the National Assembly to shiftily pass Counter-Terrorism Act insisting the North Korea is preparing for terrors since it executed the 4^th nuclear test and fired rocket missile. Nevertheless, a Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-an did not even know that he was the chairperson of the National Terror Management Council until a lawmaker Kim Gwang-jin asked him on 18 February at the Q & A with the government session. If the government truly intends to prevent terrors, Hwang, a chairperson of the council can look into measures. However, he does not know his position and role and furthermore, there has been no direction from the president Park concerning what to do to prevent. Without following basics, the government keeps pushing for enactment of Counter-Terrorism Act. The only reason for this oppression can be think of is enhancing authority of the National Intelligence Service under the excuse of terror prevention. For the purpose of stopping enactment, PSPD has campaigned urgent online petition from 22 February. It held a press conference on 23 in front of the National Assembly and carried out one-person

THAAD, What is the problem?

There is another issue that the government is pushing forward giving an excuse of nuclear test of North Korea. Together with the American government, it is planning to install THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) in Korea. Two governments insist that THAAD is a preparation for nuclear and missile of North Korea but it is widely known to be ineffective to defend ballistic missiles of the North. Infringements of the right to live and health of residents and damages on the environment are serious problems incurred by installing THAAD. The Defense Ministry of the US also admits these consequences and damages have been already found in neighborhood of US radar base in Japan. Unfortunately, these kinds of information are rarely revealed because criticism has disappeared in our press. PSPD has made card news to easily explain and inform citizens on risks and problems associated with THAAD installation. I would like you to read <THAAD, troublemaker> made on 19 February and spread it around to other people.

Won the National Flag Contempt case, a citizen was prosecuted for

Do you remember a citizen who burnt a paper national flag to appeal against the stance of the government over the first memorial of Sewol Ferry disaster held in April last year? Prosecutors charged him for National Flag Contempt applying Article 105 of the Criminal Law ‘Damaging National Flag in order to contempt the country is subject to punishment’. PSPD has supported him with public proceeding and the Seoul Central Court said on 17 February that he was innocent for National Flag Contempt. It decided that he tried to appeal to the government but didn’t seem to have an intention to contempt a national flag.

‘Nuri program, whose responsibility is it?

At the presidential election in 2012, the President Park Geun-hye said daycare of children aged between 0-5 should be completely taken care by the government and promised to increase budget for Nuri program subsidizing daycare of children aged between 3 and 5. However, the central government has passed the responsibility to metropolitan and provincial governments when allocating the budget. It eventually changed the enforcement ordinance of the Local Finance Act last October to evade its responsibility by including Nuri program budget in the mandatory expense of provincial government office of education. Regarding the change, education superintendents have expressed the stance that other necessary expenses would be short if Nuri program is covered by local budget, and boycotted the central government’s guideline. Meanwhile, victims are parents of children. Therefore, PSPD held a urgent forum on 2 February <Who is responsible for daycare of children?> and reviewed If any legal issue was involved in tossing the finance to local education offices, and roles and responsibilities of the central and local education offices in terms of finances of welfare and education. The conclusion defined that all responsibilities are on the state. Materials and information of the forum are available on PSPD website.

Young people gathered for ‘the honor and the human right to ‘comfort women’’

Together with 20 teenagers, a voluntary program “The Honor and the Human Right to ‘comfort women’” was held on 27 January. While the criticism over a haste agreement on sex slave issue which was made between Korean and Japanese government end of last year does not seem to subsides, the program provided the time to directly see, listen and share related problems at the sites and take an action. Teenagers watched an animation <A story of a young girl> produced with the voice of a victim Jeong Se-woon and shared their views. ‘Japanese Army sex slave’ matter is the world’s oldest peace protest. They made pickets to use at regular ‘Wednesday protest’ and also participated in. Afterwards, they moved to Insa-dong and carried out collecting one hundred million signatures of the world for the settlement of sex slave problems. They were shy and felt uncomfortable since it was their first signature collecting activity but their serious attitude and efforts looked beautiful.