문재인 정부 출범 7개월, 2015 한일합의 무효화 공약 실행하고, 

화해치유재단 해산! 일본정부에게 10억 엔을 반환하라! 

성명서 [원문보기/다운로드]

다가오는 12월 10일은 촛불국민들의 힘으로 당선된 문재인 대통령의 취임 7개월이 되는 날이다. 그리고 곧 망국적인 2015한일합의가 발표된 지 2년이 다가온다. 대선시기 2015한일합의 무효화를 국민에게 공약으로 발표한 문재인 정부는 지난 7월 31일, <한일 일본군‘위안부’ 피해자 문제 합의 검토TF>를 구성하고 올해 안에 결론을 도출하겠다고 발표했다. 이후 마치 위안부TF 결과가 ‘위안부’ 문제 해결의 모든 열쇠인 것처럼 책임을 전가하는 일들이 계속되고 있으며, 정권출범 7개월이 되도록 일본군‘위안부’문제와 관련한 외교부와 여성가족부의 정책은 여전히 ‘불가역적이고 최종적 해결’이라는 2015한일합의의 반인권적인 선언 아래 잠자고 있다.

2015 한일합의는 일본의 역사부정과 군국주의 부활에 날개를 달아주었다. 합의 이후 일본정부는 유엔여성차별철폐위원회에서 공식적으로 일본군‘위안부’강제연행을 부인하고 해외 각지 시민들의 노력으로 건립되고 있는 평화비 철거를 요구하는 것은 물론 지난 25여 년 동안 유엔과 ILO 등 국제인권기구에서‘위안부’문제를‘일본군 성노예제’로 인식하고 표명해왔음에도 ‘성노예’라고 하는 것은 일본에 대한 비방 중상이라는 범죄를 부정하는 발언들을 계속하고 있다. 이러한 전쟁범죄를 부정하는 일본의 행보는 다시 전쟁을 향해 가는 구조를 만들며, 개헌 등을 통해 전쟁이 가능한 국가로 변모를 꾀하는 등 위험한 군국주의 행보를 계속하고 있다.

그런 상황임에도 불구하고 지난 1311차 일본군성노예제문제해결을 위한 수요시위에서 92세 김복동 할머니는 우리 정부가 연말까지 기다려 달라고 하니 지금 기다리고 있는 중이라고 발언하였다. 그 발언 속에는 TF팀 발표를 통해 ‘2015한일합의 무효화’라는 대통령의 공약이 실행되기를 바라는 희망이 담겨있음을 정부는 알고 있을 것이다. 그리고 우리는 알고 있다. 할머니의 그 희망은 매일 매일 병마와 싸우며 가지는 희망이며, 진전 없이 흘러가고 있는 시간과의 싸움 속에서 유지하고 있는 기대인 것이다. 그리고 그렇게 기다림을 요구받으며 인내하고 있는 사이 올해 벌써 일곱 분의 일본군‘위안부’ 피해자들이 세상을 떠났다.

일본군성노예제 피해자들이 27년 동안 거리에서 일관되게 요구해왔던 것은 금전적 지원이 아니라 일본정부의 범죄인정에 기반한 공식 사죄와 법적 배상이었다. 역사교과서에 기록하여 교육하고, 추모비와 사료관을 건립하는 등 다시는 같은 피해를 만들지 않겠다는 재방방지 약속을 받는 것이었다. 그것을 통해 피해자들의 인권과 명예가 회복받기를 원하며 1300 번이 넘도록 매주 수요일마다 거리에 서서 외쳤고, 미국을 비롯하여 유럽, 아시아 등 세계 곳곳을 순회하며 활동해 왔다. 뿐만 아니라 현재도 계속되고 있는 무력분쟁 하에서의 성폭력 피해자들을 지원하며 그들의 인권회복을 위해 연대해 왔다.

피해자들의 이런 노력은 국제사회에서 용기 있고, 영웅적인 활동으로 평가받고 있다. 지난 세계여성폭력추방의 날이었던 11월 25일에는 일본군성노예제문제해결을 위한 정의기억재단이 그 동안 피해자임을 드러내며 용기 있게 증언을 해주신 239명 모두에게 100만시민의 이름으로 여성인권상을 수여하였다. 또한 2015합의에 따라 화해치유재단이 지급한 1 억원 수령을 거부하며 2015한일합의 무효화와 정의로운 해결을 위해 싸우고 계신 피해자들에게 100만시민의 모금을 통해 마련된 성금으로 여성인권상 부상을 전달하였다. 

이제 피해자들의 이 치열하고도 끈질긴 노력이 해결로 이루어질 수 있도록 문재인 정부가 용단을 내릴 때이다. 더 이상 고령의 피해자들에게 ‘기다림’이라는 비현실적인 요구를 해서는 안 된다. 일본군성노예제 문제를 ‘여성인권’의 인식에 기반 하여 그 어떤 경제문제, 정치 군사적인 문제와도 거래할 수 없는 것이며, 무시되어서도 안된다는 것을 밝혀야 한다. 또한 피해자들의 요구대로, 국제인권기준에 따라 일본정부가 범죄를 인정하고, 공식 사죄와 법적 배상, 진상규명과 역사교육, 추모비와 사료관 건립 등을 통한 재발방지 약속이 일본군‘위안부’ 문제의 정의로운 해결임을 국내·국제적으로 천명해야 한다. 

이것은 화해치유재단 해산, 10억 엔 반환 조치를 통해 2015한일합의를 실질적으로 무효화하는 것으로부터 시작되어야 한다. 한일합의에 대한 모든 진상을 투명하게 밝히고 그 과정에 있는 모든 적폐와 부정의에 대한 청산이 이루어져야 한다. 그것이 지난 27년 동안 피해자들이 만들어 온 인권과 명예회복의 노력과 성과에 대한 원상회복 조치이다.

2017년 12월 7일

한국정신대문제대책협의회

한일 일본군‘위안부’ 합의 무효와 정의로운 해결을 위한 전국행동

South Korean Civil Society’s Declaration against the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of Japan 

Immediately cease the GSOMIA negotiation

(16 November 2016, Seoul) We, 225 public figures and 113 civil society organisations, call upon Park Geun-hye administration to stop the signing of dogmatic, undemocratic and unpeaceful General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of Japan. Both governments held the first meeting in Tokyo on 1st of November, the second meeting in Seoul on 9th of November, the third meeting in Tokyo on 14th of November and tentatively initialed the GSOMIA. The Park administration has already requested the legislative office for examination in an aim to ratify the GSOMIA within this month. We strongly condemn the government’s undemocratic decision and warn the Government to immediately stop negotiation on the GSOMIA.

We strongly protest against the way how negotiation process has been carried out in an unfair and non-transparent manner. As we all recall, this Agreement was secretly carried out to the point of initialing by Lee Myung-bak administration in 2012 and was ceased due to the strong opposition from the people. People were outraged by the fact that the government pushed ahead with the agreement without consensus from the general public with the power vested and the national assembly as the representative body of the government.  

This undemocratic behavior is repeated and getting even worse. The Ministry of National Defense, which is mainly responsible for the GSOMIA has vowed until recently that forming general public consensus is crucial and that the “signing the GSOMIA can only be proceeded with conditions established.” Regardless, the Park Geun-hye administration has disregarded such conditions and without any attempt to reach a general public’ s consensus, it has decided to continue signing the GSOMIA like a military operation. 
 
While South Korean people are angered and shocked by the recent Presidential scandal, the GSOMIA is being enforced. As proved by a million protesting on 12th of November, majority of people are calling for the President’s immediate resignation. As the Park administration has failed to carry out the constitutional responsibility bestowed by the people, it is not qualified to proceed the GSOMNIA. Paradoxically speaking, this GSOMIA negotiation clearly proves that the President must not be involved both in domestic and international affairs. 
 

We are extremely concerned about the negative impact of the GSOMIA. The government has granted indulgence through abruptly settling on the Agreement on ‘comfort women’ to Abe Shinzo administration in Japan, which has been right wing-led and distorted its history of aggression. Signing the GSOMIA will rather encourage Japan’s remilitarization and exercise of collective self-defense. As the most affected victims of Japanese imperialism, we will not accept the government to blindly take such actions.  

The GSOMIA will instigate the possible new cold war in Northeast Asia. Republic of Korea is the closest neighboring country to North Korea, an explicit enemy of the US-Japan alliance, and China and Russia, strategic competitor countries of US. The reason for the US-Japan alliance to include South Korea in their military strategy largely lies in geopolitical factor. The Korean Peninsula will be a strategic advantage as battle front and troop as the last resort. The South Korea-US-Japan Military Information Sharing Pact signed in 2014 and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) deployment decision made in this July are in the same context. Such South Korea’s trilateral alliance may raise increasing concern in strengthening the trilateral alliance between North Korea, China and Russia. The result will be a new cold war in Northeast Asia and exacerbation of arms race as well as permanent loss of peace on the Korean Peninsula. As the victim of cold war, we will not allow the re-emergence of a new cold war. 

Some may assert that military cooperation with Japan is necessary in a pragmatic approach against the acceleration of North Korea’s missile and nuclear weapon threats. Nevertheless, the GSOMIA for trilateral missile defense system establishment will not assure South Korea’s safety. According to a report published by the US Congress Research Service (CRS) in June, 2013, it is assured that “South Korea might not benefit as much, because it is so close to North Korea that incoming missiles would likely fly on a lower trajectory and could arrive in a matter of minutes.” Considering our reality that we are still under ceasefire, this is a valid criticism. 

Military approach like the GSOMIA will clearly not stop North Korea’s nuclear development. This is just expansive reproduction of a failed policy. This will only lead to self-harm result in the Korean Peninsula. This will erupt cold war in Northeast Asia in reality and waste valuable resources that should be utilized for welfare and proliferation of humanity not for military competition.

The cooperation between South Korea-Japan and South Korea-US-Japan should not head in such direction. The objective of cooperation should be focused on peace and the means should be through diplomatic channels. Six-party talks should be resumed as it has been discontinued for about past eight years and relations between North and South Korea, North Korea and the US as well as North Korea and Japan should be resolved.

However, the Park administration has clearly proved that it has no will or capability to do so. It is gradually being disclosed that a shadowy advisor who is at the center of the corruption scandal has exerted extensive influence on domestic and international affairs but the government is still attempting to sign the GSOMIA. '

We will never accept such a historical regression. We can no longer trust the government that has lost ability to realize the seriousness of the issue and the President Park Geun-hye has no credibility, qualification or capability as a leader of this country. 

Launch of GPPAC Publication

Reflections on Peace and Security in Northeast Asia

– Perspectives on the Ulaanbaatar Process

The publication Reflections on Peace and Security in Northeast Asia - Perspectives on the Ulaanbaatar Process was launched in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on August 29, on the occasion of the third meeting of the Ulaanbaatar Process, a civil society-led dialogue for peace and stability in Northeast Asia. The publication is a collection of essays which capture the diverse and uncompromised opinions, concerns, tensions and contradictions of a region in turmoil at the time of the 3rd Ulaanbaatar Process Meeting held on August 29–30, 2017.

Articles of the printed publication are made available online at https://medium.com/reflections-on-peace-and-security-in-northeast. Please visit this site. 

Reflections on Peace and Security in Northeast Asia - Perspectives on the Ulaanbaatar Process explores the contentious issue of nuclear weapons in the region, the current security climate on the Korean Peninsula which is frozen in a fragile armistice, as well the successes and challenges faced by non-governmental organizations in the context of peacebuilding in Northeast Asia. It features articles by the participants of the Ulaanbaatar Process; representatives of civil society from China, Japan, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, the United States of America, the Russian Federation as well as Mongolia.

The Ulaanbaatar Process, launched by the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) in June, 2015, aims to support the creation of conditions of peace and stability in Northeast Asia through the promotion of greater civil society dialogue and interaction. It is hosted by Mongolian NGO Blue Banner in cooperation with GPPAC Northeast Asia, and with the support of the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The third Ulaanbaatar Process meeting provided an opportunity for sincere and open civil society dialogue on the current peace and security situation in Northeast Asia, and particularly the crisis on the Korean Peninsula. The previous two meetings, similarly held in Ulaanbaatar, also saw the participation of civil society representatives of all the Six Party Talks countries and Mongolia. 

For more information about the Ulaanbaatar Process, please visit the GPPAC Northeast Asia as well as Facebook page  https://www.peaceportal.org/web/ulaanbaatar-process/home

For more information on GPPAC, please visit http://www.gppac.net/.

<Photo from GPPAC NEA, Aug 29-30, 2017>