Protest Against the Repression of Korean Anti-War Activists

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Tuesday March 21, 2006 11:44 by Sinéad Ní Bhroin sineadnibhroin at eircom dot net 0879266764

Urgent Action Appeal

Protest Against the Repression of Korean Anti-War Activists by the Roh Moo-hyun Government

The Roh Moo-hyun government has sent third largest troops to Iraq following Bush and Blair. (Korean troops are also stationed in Afghanistan as the South Korean government is supporting Bush's occupation of Afghanistan.) Currently 3,200 Korean troops are stationed in Iraq's Northeaster Province of Irbil. The Roh Moo-hyun government is already talking of a long term deployment and has announced that Korean troops in Iraq will take on more offensive missions starting this year.

The Korean anti-war movement has opposed Bush's war even before it started and built a strong opposition to the South Korean government's war assistance.
Recently, the South Korean government began repressing the anti-war movement. In the beginning of January this year, it fined 17 anti-war activists with fees ranging from 700,000 to 2 million won (approximately $700 to $2,000) for their involvement in the 2004 anti-war demonstration. In mid January, an anti-war coalition organizer Jeong Yong-jun was arrested charged with leading an unauthorized demonstration. In the end of the month, 7 more activists (Bak Seok-un, Jeong Dae-yeon, Kim Gwang-il, Han Chung-mok, Kwon O-hyuk, Choi Geun-ho, and Kim Bae-gon) were indicted on charge of leading unauthorized demonstrations.

All these people are leading organizers of our anti-war coalition. Their actions were just. The South Korean government's legal prosecution is not only an oppression of their just acts but also an oppression of their political and civil liberties.

A court hearing is scheduled to be held on March 27, 14:00pm for these 8 anti-war activists. The Korean anti-war movement is organizing a demonstration to protest against the South Korean government's repression.
We appeal to you to join us in our protest. People's Action Against Dispatch of Troops to Iraq, the anti-war coalition in South Korea composed of 351 labor and social movement organizations and NGOs including KCTU, the Democratic Labor Party, and religious organizations, appeals to you to send your support and solidarity.

Please send your names, organizations, contact information to antipabyeong@empal.com. We will compile the names under a protest statement and will be release to the media and submit to the court as evidence. Solidarity and protest messages are also welcomed.

The deadline for sending your name, organization, contact information is March 25, 2006. We apologize for the short notice. All our efforts were concentrated on building the March 19 global day of action against war and occupation.

Thank you very much in advance for your solidarity.

People's Action Against Dispatch of Troops to Iraq
antipabyeong@empal.com
www.antiwar.or.kr