Tongin Newsletter, November 2015

Happy participation, Heartwarming solidarity _ This month of the PSPD

● Presented bills that must be passed or rejected during the last general session of the 19th National Assembly 

▶ All activity groups of the PSPD participated to select 37 legislative agendas and policies in 10 sectors and presented them on 19 October for the 19th National Assembly to pass or reject at the last general session. Especially, PSPD urged to pass bills concerning to help people’s lives including [Housing Lease Protection Act] and reject retrogressive revisions such as [Labor Standard Act] which would worsen labor conditions.
 

● ‘The Rulings Reading Club’ is being held successfully
▶ The Judiciary Watch Division of PSPD held the first gathering of the Rulings Reading Club. The first ruling chosen was the decision of the Eastern branch of Busan Court made October last year. It confirmed for the first time that the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company was responsible for the cause of malignant tumor of thyroid gland broke to a resident living nearby Gori nuclear power plant.

● ‘Eul (the weak)’s ballot is in progress nationwide by both on and off line.
▶ A ballot is in progress throughout the nation asking Euls of our society whether labor policy of Park Geun-hye government is a reform or retrogression. Labor policies in question are easy dismissal, extension of irregular working terms and disadvantageous change of wages and working conditions. More than thousands ballot booths are set up in streets, offices including the PSPD office. 

● Joint Press Conference of civil society on retrogressing labor policy of Park Geun-hye government and Saenuri Party
▶ The people are swiftly acknowledging that changing labor law of Park Geun-hye government and Saenuri Party is said to be a reform but in fact retrogression. NGOs, members of the Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea have a consensus to stop the change and held a joint press conference on 21 October. They expressed great concerns on retrograding labor laws unilaterally pushed by the government and Saenuri Party.

● Park Geun-hye’s policies on low birthrate and ageing society are not bearable
▶ On 19 October, the government announced the third basic plan for low birthrate and ageing society. However, the plan found the cause of low birthrate from late marriages and suggested measures based on the traditional family concept failing to acknowledge fundamental problems of social inequality and sexual discrimination. Even further, people could not help themselves from sneering and getting angry when the state voluntarily to be a matchmaker. The government is ignoring the reality that social inequality, polarization, young unemployment and hard livelihood are real hindrances which make dating and getting married difficult. No one would agree the responsibility of late marriage is on the young and the people.

● Filed a lawsuit against dominant CGV for the public interest 
▶ The Minbyun, Youth Community Union, and Campaign for Anyone with Stable Life of PSPD gathered in front of CGV, Daehakro branch on 22 October to announce the commencement of a lawsuit for the public interest in regard to playing commercial films in cinemas irritating and stressing viewers. CGV has earned more than 81 billion won in 2014 from forcibly playing advertisements without a notice or consent of viewers. PSPD filed a lawsuit together with 26 youth plaintiffs and claimed return of unfair earnings and compensation to correct and stop a market leader CGV from playing an actual movie about 10 minutes later than the time written on a ticket in order to play commercial films. Last February, PSPD has reported unfair trade acts of movie theaters and urged the Fair Trade Commission again to take an instant action to correct it.  

● Criticizing double stances of Korean government on Japan’s plan to become a military giant and allowing Japanese Army into Korean Peninsula
▶ Recently, the change of Japanese security policy towards re-militarism and military giant has become a huge concern to both Asian and global citizens who love the peace. Far-right politicians in Japan do not hide their intention to dispatch Self-Defense Forces to Korean Peninsula. Our government is supposed to respond actively but rather shows double stances deepening worries to the people. Moreover, a suspicion was raised that the government concealed a conflict at the Korea-Japan Military Minister talk on 20 October. Japanese Defense Minister said effective sovereignty of South Korean government applied to southern part of DMZ disagreeing an interpretation of South Korean Defense Minister that Japanese Self-Defense Forces is required to request or have an agreement of South Korean government when enters to North Korea. Hence, the Center for Peace and Disarmament urged the government on 22 October to take a clear stance to oppose disabling the Peace Constitution of Japan and pursuing collective self-defense. Korean government should actively respond to Japanese actions towards far-right threatening the peace of Korean peninsula and the world. 

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.
 
 

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.