Briefs on the struggle of the south Korean people

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

Oct.15- A function took place in Seoul to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration with attendance of about 200 members of the organization and figures of civic organizations.

- The Solidarity Friend, a supporters' organization of the Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration, was inaugurated with participation of co-permanent representatives Kwon O-chang, Yun Han-tak and its members figures of civic organizations including the Reunification Solidarity and the People for Peace and Reunification.  

 =Anti-US and anti-war struggle

Oct.19- The Youth and Students Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration issued a statement accusing the south Korean military authorities of frantically pursuing the US war policy.

Oct.20- Chairman Moon Kyung-shik of the National Federation of Peasants’ Associations released a statement titled “We oppose warmonger Rumsfeld’s visit to south Korea.”

- Members of the People for Peace and Reunification staged one-man demonstration against US Defense Secretary Rumsfeld’s visit to south Korea.

- Civic organizations including the Reunification Solidarity, the National People’s Solidarity for National Independence, Democracy and People’s Right to Live, the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification, the People for Peace and Reunification and the All-People Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the US Military Base in Pyeongtaek held a news conference opposing the Us Defense Secretary’s visit to Seoul in front of the US embassy.    

Oct.22- The Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration made public a statement titled “We denounce an agreement of the south Korea-US annual security consultative council meeting denying the joint statement of the six-party talks.”

- The People for Peace and Reunification issued a commentary denouncing bellicose act of the US which runs counter to peace and reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

Oct.23- Members of the All-People Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the US Military Base in Pyeongtaek and about 200 Pyeongtaek residents held a rally foiling permanent presence of the USFK and checking compulsory expropriation in front of the Pyeongtaek Station.  

Oct.24- The Youth and Students Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration made public a statement to condemn the US undisguised moves to keep military occupation of south Korea.

Oct.26- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification released a statement titled “We assail an agreement of the south Korea-US annual security consultative meeting forcing subordination and war.”

- The National Council of Women Student Representative made public a statement, 13 years since the murder of Yun Gumi, a south Korean woman, by a GI in south Korea.

Oct.28- The Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration issued a statement titled “Punish GI. murders”

- The Youth and Students Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration released a statement titled “Let us vent to the grudge of Yun Gumi through intensive struggle for the withdrawal of USFK.”

- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country’s Reunification issued a statement titled “The fabrication of the human rights issue of north Korea should not be overlooked.”

Oct.29- Members of the All-People Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the US Military Base in Pyeongtaek held a meeting to vow to struggle against the expansion of the US military base at the plaza of Pyeongtaek station.

- Workers under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held a rally against the expansion of the US military base and for withdrawal of the part-time jobs in front of the Pyeongtaek City Office.    

- The People for Peace and Reunification issued a commentary in denunciation of the undisguised servility of the government authority to the US.

=Anti-Japanese struggle

Oct.19- Members of the Busan civic organizations held a rally in front of the Japanese consulate in Busan. They censured the visit of Yashukuni shrine by some Japanese politicians who extol departed spirit of militarism of Japan.

Nov.3- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country’s Reunification issued a statement marking the 76^th anniversary of the Gwangju Students' anti-Japanese demonstration in 1929.     

=Struggle for achieving democracy and the right to live

Oct.4- More than six civic organizations held a news conference denouncing police in front of the “Investigation Section” in Seoul.  

Oct.17-The Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration released a statement titled “Let us totally repeal the National Security Law through the unity of all progressive reform forces.”

- Peasants across south Korea staged demonstrations all at once to check the National Assembly’s ratification of the proposal for negotiation on rice.

- The Youth and Students Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration issued a statement titled “Stop ideological controversy that goes against the reunification era and abolish the National Security Law.”

- An editor of the US-based Internet Homepage “Minjok Tongshin” made public a commentary censuring the ideological controversy of the conservative forces.

Oct.18- The Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration issued a commentary denouncing the Grand National Party for its foolish remarks against the nation and reunification.

- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification and other civic organizations held a news conference in front of the Office of Dong-A Ilbo to vehemently denounce and refute the false report released by the conservative paper.  

Oct.20- The South Headquarters of the Youth and Students Alliance for the Country’s Reunification released a commentary titled “Let us dismantle the Grand National Party that makes frantic efforts against national reunification.”

- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification issued a statement censuring the south Korean paper “Dong-A Ilbo’s distorted news.”

Oct.27- The Anti-US Women’s Society made public a statement condemning the passage of the “bill on rice negotiations” through the Unification, Diplomacy and Trade Committee of the National Assembly.

Oct.28- The Federation of Korean Trade Unions released a statement supporting the peasants’ struggle against the forced passage of a “bill on negotiations on rice.” 

- At least 150,000 peasants under the National Federation of Peasants Associations launched a general strike, sit-in hunger strikes and fierce demonstrations all at once in more than 90 regions including Seoul, South Gyeongsang Province and Cheju Island in protest against the forced passage of a “bill on negotiations on rice” by the Unification, Diplomacy and Trade Committee of the National Assembly.

- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification made public a statement opposing forced passage of a “bill on negotiation on rice” by the Unification, Diplomacy and Trade Committee of the National Assembly.

Oct.29- The Korean Railway Workers Union held a rally to vow an all-out struggle at a park in Seoul at which it demanded the abolition of the part-time job and the guarantee of rights to labor.

Nov.2- The People’s Action for Opposing Dispatch of Troops to Iraq held a news conference to urge the authorities to stop the plan for extending the dispatch of troops to Iraq and withdrawal of the “Zaitun” unit in front of the government building.