South Korea: Reopen Kaesong Industrial Complex Immediately

(Seoul, 11 February 2016) On 10 February 2016, the South Korean government announced the closure of Kaesong Industrial Complex, citing North Korea’s 4th nuclear test and launching of a long-range rocket as reasons. However, South Korean civil society organisations emphasise that closure of Kaesong Industrial Complex is an absolutely improper measure. We call on the South Korean government to immediately reopen Kaesong Industrial Complex. It is not a time to immediately end relations with North Korea. Instead, we must find wise solutions to escape this cold period. 

We note with concern that the closure of Kaesong Industrial Complex goes completely against the 2013 agreement between the two Koreas in which they each committed to continue operations at Kaesong Industrial Complex regardless of the political situation. This recent unilateral decision by the South Korean government is also a violation of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the two countries, which is a de facto international treaty. 

The South Korean government argues that approximately 120 billion KRW (around 120 million USD) in wages paid to workers at Kaesong Industrial Complex has been used in development of nuclear weapons and missiles. This accusation has no grounds because most wages paid to North Korean workers are in the form of social and cultural policy funds and gift cards. 

We deplore the South Korean government actions, which ignore the lives of the North Korean workers and difficulties faced by South Korean companies, around 120 of whom face bankruptcy as a result of the closure. While the South Korean government is discussing an alternative site for a factory and financial support, nothing can replace Kaesong Industrial Complex to companies. At the same time, the approximately 54,000 North Korean workers and their families are now at the edge of a precipice. They are not at all related to North Korea’s nuclear testing or long-range rocket launch. 

It is obvious that additional sanctions will not resolve North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, as the past 20 years of sanctions against it have not been successful. It is clear that establishing a peace system and denuclearisation is the only effective solution, not simply repeating already-failed policies of sanctions. The South Korean government must reopen Kaesong Industrial Complex immediately.  /END/

Endorsed by below 69 civil society organisations and networks: 
Busan Counseling Center Against Sexual Violence, Busan Women's Association United, Cheonan Women's Association, Chungbuk Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea, Chungnam Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea, Citizens Coalition for Democratic Media, Civil Peace Forum, Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea, Cultural Action, Daegu Citizens Union for Peaceful Reunification, Daegu Gyeongbuk Women's Association United, Daegu Women's Association, Daejeon Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea, Daejeon Women's Association for Democracy, Daejeon Women's Association United, Eco Horizon Institute, Eco Justice, Goyang Peace Nuri, Green Korea United, Green Transport Movement, Gwangju Jeonnam Women's Association United, Gyeonggi Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea, Gyeonggi Women's Association United, Gyeongnam Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea, Gyeongnam Women's Association, Gyeongnam Women's Association United, Housewives Association, Jeju Women's Association, Jeju Women's Human Rights Solidairty, Jeonbuk Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea, Jeonbuk Women's Association United, Jeonnam Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea, Korea Association of Christian Women for Women Minjung, Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center, Korea Single Parent United, Korea Women's Hot Line, Korea Women's Political Solidarity, Korea Women's Studies Institute, Korea YMCA, Korea Youth Corps, Korean Association of Women Theologians, Korean Catholic Women's Community for a New World, Korean Differently Abled Women United, Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, Korean Sharing Movement, Korean Women Workers Association, Korean Women's Association United, Korean Women's Environmental Network, National Solidarity for Solving Prostitution Issues, Network for Gender Sensitive Budget, Peace Ground, Peace Network, Peace3000, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, Pohang Women's Association, Pusan Women Education Center, Research Institute of the Differently Abled Person's Rights in Korea, Reunification Tree, Saewoomtuh, Suwon Women's Association, The National Association of Parents for Cham Education, Tongilmaji, Transparency International Korea, Ulsan Women's Association, Women Education Center, Women Making Peace, Women Migrants Human Rights Center of Korea, WomenLink, Young Korean Academy
 

일본 대변인 노릇하는 윤병세 장관은 즉각 사퇴하라

‘위안부’ 피해자 모독하는 윤병세는 외교장관 자격없다

박근혜정부의 외교참사인 한일 일본군‘위안부’합의와 소녀상을 둘러싼 정부의 발언과 행태가 갈수록 가관이다. 굴욕적인 합의에 대해 자숙하고 반성해도 모자랄 판에 가해자 일본의 대변인 노릇을 하며 외교공관 앞 소녀상이 부적절하다는 등 일본군‘위안부’ 피해자들을 모독하는 발언을 서슴지 않고 있다. 

지난 13일 국회 외교통일위원회에서 윤병세 외교부 장관은 일본 측이 내놓은 출연금 10억 엔은 “본인이 직접 요구”한 것이며, 최근 불거진 부산 일본총영사관 앞에 세워진 소녀상 관련해서도 “외교공관 앞 시설물, 조형물 설치에 대해서는 바람직하지 않다”고 밝혔다. 윤병세 장관은 도대체 어느 나라 외교부 장관인가? 제대로 된 사과 없이 성격도 애매한 10억 엔을 받자고 일본에 자존심과 ‘위안부’ 피해자들의 명예를 팔아넘긴 것도 모자라 시민들이 뜻을 모아 만든 소녀상을 문제시하는 태도는 납득할 수 없다. 이는 윤병세 장관이 합의 직후 시민들이 자발적으로 만든 소녀상이니만큼 철거를 전제로 합의가 이루어진 것은 아니라고 해명했던 것과도 상반된다. 

윤병세 장관의 발언은 반성 없는 일본에 오히려 외교적 공세 구실이 되고 있다. 일본 정부는 최근 주한 일본대사 본국 소환 및 통화스와프 중단 조치를 단행했다. 게다가 일본 언론은 “10억 엔을 보이스피싱 당했다”는 얘기를 쏟아내며 한국과 피해자를 능욕하고 있다. 10억 엔으로 자신들의 모든 악행이 면죄부 받은 것처럼 도리어 한국 정부에 압박을 넣고 있음에도 항의는커녕 아무 조치도 못 하고 있는 것이다. 가해자와 피해자가 뒤바뀐 꼴이다. 아니나 다를까 최근 일본 정부는 윤장관의 발언을 소녀상 철거를 주장하는 근거로 이용하기 시작했다.

잘못을 인정하지 않고 공식사과조차 거부하고 있는 일본 정부의 오만함과 모르쇠는 그냥 묵과하고 넘어갈 문제가 아니다. 최근 박영수 특검팀은 12.28 한일 합의에 대한 비선 개입 의혹에 대해 수사를 착수했다고 알려졌다. 정부는 더 이상 일본군‘위안부’ 피해자들을 모독하는 일을 중단하고 한일 합의를 둘러싼 의혹을 낱낱이 밝혀야 한다. 이로써 잘못된 합의를 바로 잡고 아베 정부의 역사 왜곡과 반성 없는 태도에 제동을 걸어야 한다. 그 첫걸음은 굴욕적인 합의 책임자이자 사태를 최악으로 만들고 있는 윤병세 장관의 즉각 사퇴이다.  
 

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.