Briefs on the struggle of the south Korean people

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

May.17- The Federation of South Koreans in Japan for Democracy and Unification issued a statement titled “Welcome the reconciliation between the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan and the south Korean Residents Association in Japan”

May.28- A lecture meeting for the reunification of Korea was held in Germany on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the publication of the June 15 joint declaration. 

June.2- A festival committee for national reunification to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the June 15 joint declaration was inaugurated in Gwangju.

June.5- The June 15 pilgrimage group made up of members of the Solidarity of Youth and Students for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration held a news conference in Gwanghwamun of Seoul before the start of its activities. An action program of the group was published.

June.8- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification made public an article titled “the sixth anniversary of the publication of the June 15 joint declaration and our pending task.”

=Anti-US and anti-war struggle

May.13- A candlelight vigil against the expansion of the US military base in Pyeongtaek was held with the participation of more than 5,000 members of civic organizations including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils and the Korean Council of Youth Organizations.

May.14- A pan-national meeting against the expansion of the US military base in Pyeongtaek was held under the sponsorship of the All-People Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the US Military Base in Pyeongtaek was held in Paengseong Township of Gyeonggi Province.

May.15- Elders of pro-reunification movement held a news conference in Seoul against the expansion of the US military base in Pyeongtaek.

May.16- The 80th anti-US solidarity rally was held with the attendance of residents and members of civic organizations at the Peace Park in Paengseong Township, Pyeongtaek City, Gyeonggi Province of south Korea.

May-18 A declaration of May 18 emergency urging peaceful settlement of the issue of Pyeongtaek was published in Seoul in the name of 803 workers, peasants, youth and students, and figures including human rights, religious, cultural and medical fields.

May.21- A peace marathon race for checking the expansion of the US military base in Pyeongtaek was held in Pyeongtaek Gyeonggi Province of south Korea. Participating in the marathon race sponsored by the Pyeongtaek Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the US Military Base were residents of Pyeongtaek and members of civic organizations, students and pupils of primary schools from different part of south Korea.

May.24- The National Council of Women Student Representatives issued a statement calling for the women to turn out in the struggle to realize peace in the Korean Peninsula.

May.29- The All-People Measure Committee for Unveiling Truth about the Massacre of Civilians after the Korean War made public a commentary and censured the improper attitude of the government and media toward the massacre committed by the US army in the last Korean War.  

May.30- The Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration issued a statement titled “USFK, a group of murders, withdraw from south Korea.”

- The Measure Committee for Unveiling Truth about the Nogeun-ri Massacre made pubic a statement titled “The US slaughtered victims of Nogeun-ri again.”

- The People for Peace and Reunification and other civic organizations held the 57^th rally for peace and disarmament in front of the Defense Ministry to denounce the moves of the military authorities to increase the defense budget.

May.31- The Reunification Solidarity released a statement denouncing the US massacre of the innocent south Korean people during the last Korean War.   

June.2- Chang Song-hoe, chairperson of the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils released a statement titled “The US make an apology to the Korean nation for a deliberate massacre they committed in the last Korean War.”

June.5- Representatives of civic organizations including the Headquarters of the All-People Movement for Checking south Korea-US Free Trade Agreement held a news conference in Gwanghwamun of Seoul. They strongly denounced the first round of the negotiations for concluding FTA now under way in the United States.       

=Anti-Japanese struggle

May.24- The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan sponsored the 710^th Wednesday rally for settlement of the issue of “comfort women for the Japanese army.”

=Struggle for democracy and the right to live

May.17- The south Korean Federation of University Student Councils released a statement denouncing the remarks of Kim Young-sam, a pro-US and anti-reunification traitor.

May.18- A citizen’s alliance released a commentary denouncing the south Korean daily “Chosun-Ilbo” that has been engaged in false report on the struggle against the expansion of the US military base in Pyeongtaek.

May.28- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification made public a statement criticizing the irregularities and corruption of the Grand National Party.