Briefs on the struggle of the south Korean people

= Struggle for implementing the June 15 inter-Korean joint declaration

Aug.15- More than 10,000 members of civic organizations including the Reunification Solidarity and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held a rally in Seoul at which they called for certainly achieving the independent and peaceful reunification of the country.

- The south Korean Federation of University Student Councils issued a resolution calling upon the youth and students to take the lead in the drive to realize the three forms of cooperation for national independence, peace against war and reunification and patriotism.

- The People for Peace and Reunification released a resolution for independence, peace and reunification, marking the 60^th anniversary of country’s liberation.

- The South Headquarters of National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification made public a statement calling for realizing reunification under the banner of the “By our nation itself.”

- Rallies of workers, farmers women and youth were held respectively at Kyunghee University in Seoul. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the National Federation of Peasants’ Associations co-sponsored a rally under the subject “a meeting of workers and farmers for withdrawal of the US troops and national cooperation.” A rally was held under the sponsorship of the women committee under the Reunification Solidarity. The rallies were held with participation of the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification, the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils and the Korean Council of Youth Organizations.

Aug.17- An international meeting for August 15 grand national festival was held at the building of the Society for Commemorating the Democratic Movement under the sponsorship of the Reunification Solidarity.        

=Anti-US and anti-war struggle

Aug.12- A rally denouncing the pro-US flunkeyist act of the military authorities to provide the US army with land of Pyeongtaek was held in front of the Ministry of Defense under the sponsorship of the All-People Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the US Military Base in Pyeongtaek.

Aug.14- The Daejeon-South Chungcheong Provincial Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration issued a statement criticizing the US move for war on the Korean Peninsula and anti-north Korea plot.  

Aug.15- The south Korean Federation of University Student Councils held an emergency meeting of its Central Committee to ensure a successful September 8 struggle. And it released an appeal titled “Let us launch a general offensive under the banner of ‘By our nation itself’ to put an end to the 60-year long US military occupation.”

Aug.16- Civic organizations including the All-People Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the US Military Base in Pyeongtaek, the People for Peace and Reunification, the Solidarity for Social Progress and the National Catholic Alliance for Justice held the 71^st anti-US solidarity rally in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, to strongly denounce the south Korea-US joint military exercise “Ulchi Focus Lens-05.”

- The People for Peace and Reunification released a statement strongly denouncing the US unilateral and doubtful restoration at the bombing range in Maehyang-ri.

Aug.19- The Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration made public a commentary titled “The conclusion of peace treaty can not be delayed any longer.”

Aug.21- The south Korean Federation of University Student Councils released a statement titled “The US must stop ‘UFL-05’ war exercises for preemptive strike against north Korea and leave this land at once.”

- A spokesman for the Reunification Solidarity issued a commentary lashing at the US appointment of an “envoy for the human rights issue of north Korea.”

Aug.22- The Reunification Solidarity and the National People’s Solidarity for National Independence, Democracy and People’s Right to Live called a joint news conference around the US embassy in Seoul. They declared they would stage a joint struggle in demand of a stop to “Ulchi focus Lens-05” joint military exercises.

- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification published a statement titled “US forces, stop at once ‘Ulchi Focus Lens-05’ war exercises.”

- Chairman Kim No-jin of the Seoul Area Federation of University Student Councils under the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils issued a statement demanding suspension of “UFL-05” joint military exercises that threatens peace of the Korean Peninsula.

- Civic organizations including the People for Peace and Reunification, the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification the Solidarity for Social Progress held a news conference in demand of suspension of the joint military exercises in front of the Ministry of Defense.

- The Busan Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration made public a statement titled “Stop the joint military exercise ‘UFL-05’ that disturbs peace and reunification of the Korean Peninsula.”    

Aug.23- The Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration issued a statement titled “Stop at once the joint military exercise ‘UFL-05’.”

- The Anti-US Women’s Association issued statement titled “The south Korean and US governments stop at once Ulchi Focus Lens-05.”

Aug.25- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification released a commentary condemning the joint military exercise “UFL-05.”

Aug.29- A signature-collecting campaign for withdrawal of the US troops from south Korea was held in front of a US military base in Busan with attendance of members of civic organizations in Busan.

Aug.30- The Youth and Student Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration made public a statement titled “The south Korean authorities must stop at once war cooperation with the US.”

- The People for Peace and Reunification held the 49th rally for peace and disarmament in Seoul.

Aug.31- The Reunification Solidarity and the National People’s Solidarity for National Independence, Democracy and People’s Right to Live released an appeal against the US 60 years occupation of south Korea.

=Anti-Japanese struggle

Aug.10- A rally demanding apology and compensation of Japan’s past crimes was held in front of the Japanese embassy in Germany with participation of more than 100 members of Korean residents in Germany including the European Regional Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification.

Aug.13- A rally was held in Ulsan, south Korea, to condemn the Japanese imperialists’ past atrocities.

Attending there were over 1,000 people including former “comfort women” for the imperial Japanese army, youth, children and citizens.

Aug.24- A memorial service was held in Maizuru of Kyoto Prefecture with participation of Koreans in Japan, 60 years since Ukishi-maru was blown up by the Japanese imperialists, leaving thousands of innocent Koreans, who were aboard for returning home, drowned.

Aug.29- The Reunification Solidarity issued a statement titled “Let us resolutely liquidate crooked past history and bring new day of independent reunification.”

Aug.30- An editor of the US based-Internet homepage “Minjok Tongshin” carried an articled demanding liquidation of the pro-US and Japan forces in south Korea.

 =Struggle for achieving democracy and vital rights

Aug.7- Chairman Kim No-jin of the Seoul Area Federation of University Student Councils under the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils released a statement. He demanded abolition of the National Security Law and withdrawal of the label of the enemy-benefiting organization attached to the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils and called for the youth and students to remove all obstacles to independent reunification with general advance.

- A cultural event was held for removal of arrest of political prisoners who are on the wanted list, release of prisoners of conscience and the abolition of the National Security law.

Aug.8- Chairperson Lee Sun-hee of the General Federation of Incheon University Councils issued a statement titled “Let us make the year of independent reunification through struggle for removal of arrest of political prisoners who are on the wanted list and release of prisoners of conscience.”

Aug.9- The June 15 Youth and Student Solidarity for Implementing the South-North Joint Declaration released a statement titled “The Grand National Party and the extreme right conservative forces, give up attempt to keep the NSL.”

- Chairman Park Hee-jin of the General Federation of Kyungin Educational University student councils made public a statement demanding the removal of arrest of political prisoners who are on the wanted list and release of prisoners of conscience.

Aug.10- The National Federation of Peasants’ Associations issued a statement demanding pardon of farmers, who struggled against the conclusion of Free Trade Agreement and opening of rice market, under legal sanction.

Aug.12- The Citizens’ Alliance for Abolition of the National Security Law made public a statement titled “Withdraw the label of the enemy-benefiting organization attached to the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils and the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification and abolish the NSL at once.”