Briefs on the struggle of the south Korean people

 

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

Mar.19- The South, the North and Overseas Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification issued a joint statement, marking the 30 years since the US started the joint military exercise “Team Spirit” and “Foal Eagle” in south Korea.  

Mar.23- Over 60 civic organizations in the south and north of Korea and abroad made public a joint statement denouncing the south Korea-US joint military exercises RSOI and Foal Eagle.

Mar.25- The first meeting of the Japan Regional Committee for Implementing the South-North Joint Declaration was held in Tokyo, Japan. It stressed that it will make doubled efforts to successfully hold reunification functions, marking June 15 and August 15.

- The Federation of Korean Trade Unions inaugurated an action group for reunification. It clarified that it would take the lead in the movement for implementing the June 15 joint declaration.    

- A meeting of the Central Committee of the 15th-term South Headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country’s Reunification was held in Seoul. A resolution was adopted at the meeting. The resolution appealed to the youth and students to take the lead in the struggle for reunification and against the US and anti-conservative forces.

Apr.1- An independent reunification meeting for inheriting the spirit of April 3 popular resistance was held under the co-sponsorship of the Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration and the Cheju Solidarity for Implementing the South-North Joint Declaration.

Apr.4- A meeting of peasants of the south and the north of Korea was held in Gaesong with the participation of peasants from the south and the north of Korea. The resolution clarified that the peasants in the south and the north of Korea to commemorate the historic June 15 as the “Day of the By Our Nation Itself” and achieve independent reunification, peace against war and overall national unity.

Apr.4~5- A national discussion for science and technology was held in Pyongyang with the presence of the delegation from the south, north and overseas.         

   

=Anti-US and anti-war struggle

Mar.10- Members of the All-People Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the US Military Base in Pyeongtaek and lawmakers from ruling and opposition parties called a news conference to demand a halt to the expansion of the US military base in Pyeongtaek.

Mar.11- The Reunification Solidarity for Implementing the South –North Joint Declaration and Peace on the Korean Peninsula made public a statement demanding the US and south Korean military authorities immediately stop their moves to provoke a war.

Mar.15- A joint council of human rights organizations grouping more than 30 human rights organizations issued a statement assailing the authorities for their moves to requisition land for the expansion of the US military base in Pyeongtaek.

Mar.16- The 562nd candlelight rally took place in Gyeonggi Province in protest against the moves of the Ministry of Defense for requisitioning of land for the expansion of the US military base in Pyeongtaek.

- The chairman of the National Federation of Peasants Associations made public a statement titled “Stop the US plot to perpetuate the presence of the US troops in south Korea and the expansion of the US military bases in south Korea.”

Mar.17- The South Chungcheong Provincial Solidarity for Implementing the South-North Joint Declaration released a statement in demand of the halt to the South Korea-US joint military drills RSOI and Foal Eagle.

- The Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration issued an appeal titled “Let’s turn out in the struggle to defend Pyeongtaek and pull the US troops out of south Korea.”

Mar.18- The Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration released a statement titled “The US, abandon the aggressive policy.”

Mar.19- More than 2,000 members of the People’s Action against the Troop Dispatch to Iraq held a rally against the three year-long Iraqi war at a plaza in Seoul. Letters were introduced from the anti-war and peace bodies of the US and Britain.

- A joint rally of youth and students to vow actions against the US and war took place in Seoul under the co-sponsorship of the South Headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country’s Reunification, the Youth and Students Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration, the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils, the south Korean Council of Youth Organizations and the Youth Committee of the Democratic Labor Party.

Mar.20- The People for Peace and Reunification and the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification and other civic organizations held a news conference in front of the US military base in Seoul at which they called for checking the south Korea-US joint military exercises through a powerful international joint struggle.

Mar.22- The Solidarity for Implementing the June 145 South-North Joint Declaration issued a commentary asserting to stand against the US policy toward north Korea with united efforts of the Korean nation.

Mar.23- The North Jeolla Provincial Measure Committee for Closing Down the Bombing Training Field in Jik Islet and against the Expansion of the US Military Base in Gunsan made public a statement denouncing the south Korean authorities’ humiliating act.   

Mar.24- The Busan-South Gyeongsang Provincial Federation of University Student Councils under the south Korean Federation of University Councils issued a statement titled “Stop immediately the south Korea-US joint military exercises that threaten peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

- Shin Hak-rim, chairman of the Federation of Media Workers Unions, Yoon won-seok, chairman of the Internet Journalists Association and other co-representatives of the media section of the South Committee for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration issued a joint statement in demand of a stop to the south Korea-US large-scale joint military exercises RSOI and Foal Eagle and negotiations for conclusion of the “Free Trade Agreement.”

Mar.24~31- Members of the Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration staged one-by-one demonstration in front of the US embassy in Seoul, denouncing the joint military exercises.

Mar.25- A “Literary and art festival for peace” and a “candlelight cultural festival” took place in Pyeongtaek City. Poets, film actors and residents there present at those events strongly protested the expansion of the US military base.

Mar.26- The All-People Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the US Military Base in Pyeongtaek issued a statement titled “Stop immediately the south Korea-US joint military drills against north Korea that threaten peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

- The Daegu-North Gyeongsang Provincial Federation of University Student Councils under the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils released a statement “The US, immediately stop the adventurous war exercise against north Korea.”

Mar.27- The preparatory committee of the Seoul Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration published an of anti-war peace appeal to Seoul citizens.

- The Youth and Students Solidarity for Implementing the South-North Joint Declaration made public a statement titled “Stop immediately the south Korea-US joint military drills that invite war in the Korean Peninsula.”

Mar.28- Civic organizations including the People for Peace and Reunification held the 55th rally for peace and disarmament in front of the Ministry of Defense to denounce the south Korea-US joint military exercises.

Mar.30- Members of civic organizations including the People for Peace and Reunification and the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification conducted the struggle for checking joint landing training of the US and south Korea at Manripo beach in South Chungcheong Province.

- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification and the People for Peace and Reunification released a joint statement titled “We strongly censure the south Korea-US joint military exercises against north Korea.”

Mar.31- Civic organizations decided to hold a candlelight vigil every Friday to support the struggle against expansion of the US military base in Pyeongtaek.                 

    =Anti-Japanese Struggle

Mar.15- The 700th Wednesday rally for the settlement of the issue of the comfort women for the Japanese army was held in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul. Present at the rally sponsored by the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan were victims of the comfort women for the Japanese army, women of over 50 civic organizations, personages and students.

Mar.30- The ruling and opposition parties of south Korea strongly criticized the measure of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science, & Technology of Japan, which allowed to describe in history and geography textbooks of secondary schools that Dok islet is territory of Japan, as a grave diplomatic challenge and aggressive act.

Mar.31- An Internet radio “Voice of People” made public a commentary against the Japanese distortion of history.

 =Struggle for democracy and the right to live

Mar.9- The Agricultural, Stock-breeding and Fishery Committee of Emergency Measures against FTA grouping 36 peasants organizations held its inaugural meeting in Seoul to vow to defend the food sovereignty.

Mar.15- The Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South –North Joint Declaration issued a commentary denouncing disgrace behavior of the Grand National Party for upcoming local election.   

Mar.16- Chairperson and vice chairperson of the Ehwa Women’s University took the tonsure in protest against the university’s measure of increasing fees. 

- The Youth and Student Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration issued a commentary to denounce a spokesman for the Grand National Party, for his pro-US and treacherous remarks.

Mar.17- 31 civic organizations including the All-People Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the US Military Base in Pyeongtaek, the Green Korea United and the Korean Catholic Priests’ Council for Justice called a news conference in front of the government complex to denounce the police suppression upon the residents and members of civic organizations who struggle against the expansion of the US military base in Pyeongtaek.

Mar.19- The Reunification Solidarity issued a statement titled “Arrest of human rights activists is manifestation of disturbing peace and violating human rights.”

Mar.21- The Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North joint Declaration released a statement titled “Lee Myong-bak, Seoul mayor, resign.”

Mar.22- The National Federation of Peasants Associations, the National Federation of Agricultural Managers and other 11 peasants organizations formed the Federation of Peasants, a permanent solidarity organization for reviving agriculture against the conclusion of the south Korea-US FTA.

Mar.26- At least 5,000 unionists affiliated to the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions had an anti-government rally in Seoul in protest against the bill on the part-time job introduced by the government and its negotiations for the conclusion of FTA with the US.

Mar.27- The National Federation of Peasants Associations and the National Federation of Women Peasants Associations held a news conference in front the rice silos to check the storage of the US rice.

Mar.28- Representatives of civic organizations held a news conference at the Press Center in Seoul to declare formation of the All-People Measure Committee for Checking the south Korea-US Free Trade Agreement.

Mar.30- Students of Seoul National University held a rally in front of the main building of the university in protest against increase of registration fees.

Mar.31- The south Korean Federation of University Student Councils made public a statement titled “The government and the ultraconservative forces must stop anachronistic suppression upon the south Korean Federation of University Councils at once.”