보낸사람:  kopa at jinbo.net(국민행동) 
보낸시간:  2003/03/26 18:04:02 크기:  29줄 
읽음:  안읽음 편지종류:  보통편지 
 
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제   목 : [kopa] 최근 반전투쟁에 대한 영문 기사  

최근 반전 투쟁과 어제의 "작은 승리"에 대해 국민행동 국제연대팀에서 영문 
기사를 작성했습니다. 영문 홈페이지 또는 메일링리스트가 있으신 단위에서 배
포해주셨으면 합니다. 

- 국민행동 국제연대팀

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Small Victory for Korean Anti-War Protestors


As the US and UK coalition forces strove to the height of their illegal 
and indiscriminate imperialist war against Iraq, Korean activists 
protesting against the war earned a small victory against the Korean 
government. On 25th March, the National Assembly, which was supposed to 
vote on the motion to dispatch 600 military engineers and 100 medics to 
Iraq, decided to put off the vote until 2nd April. The National Assembly 
made the decision as about 1,000 activists, workers and students 
protested in and outside the National Assembly building. 

Although smaller in number compared to some of the protests that have 
been taking place around the world, Korean activists have been staging 
emergency press conferences and rallies in the days leading up to the 
initial attack and heightening the level of protest ever since. The 
press conferences and rallies are being organized by "Common Action 
against War and for Peace" - a coalition of about 700 organizations from 
all around the nation, ranging from workers' and women's groups to 
environment and religious groups. Most of KoPA's member organizations 
are included. Candlelight rallies have been taking place every evening, 
with the number of participants growing by the minute. On Saturday 22nd
March, close to 10,000 people gathered together for the first major 
rally since the beginning of the war. The participants gathered at 
Jongmyo Park in the centre of Seoul and marched towards the US Embassy, 
but was blocked by full-clad riot police. Candles were lit, and 
chants "Stop the ! War! No dispatch of troops!" echoed through Seoul. 

Demonstrations continued the next day, this time in front of the National
Assembly. Beginning from 24th March, the coalition of organizations 
began a 24-hour protest in front of the National Assembly. The proposal 
for the dispatch of Korean troops was scheduled to be put to vote, 
earlier than expected, on 25th March. The Noh Moo-Hyun government 
announced that the dispatch is for "national strategic interest" and for 
consolidation of the strained Korea-U.S. relations. 

Noh had sided with the anti-US demonstrations during his campaign for 
presidency, winning the votes of the younger generation, but recently he 
had been suppressing the anti-US demonstrations and arresting activists. 
The swift movement of the government to push through with the dispatch 
as soon as possible manifests the true essence of the so-called 
reformist Noh government. However, the fervour and the will of the 
protestors was just as strong, and protests continued through the
evening and onto the 25th. 

The parliament was scheduled to open at two o'clock. Activists were 
stopped from advancing towards the Assembly compound by the riot police, 
who brutally dragged the protestors away. There were continuous clashes 
with the police. Protestors fought relentlessly -climbing onto the top 
of police buses and fighting away the police, and chanting "No to war, 
no to dispatch", while taxi workers drove around the area honking their 
horns. Representatives of organizations and some students managed to 
sneak into the building, but were all dragged out. After hours of
intense demonstration, the protestors heard the news that the vote was 
postponed to 2nd because of popular opposition. 

Recent polls show that close to 80% of Koreans are against this war, 
while about 70% disagree to troops dispatch. Apart from a small number 
of parliament members who expressed disagreement to the war and the 
dispatch, both the Grand National Party and the Democratic Party were 
previously determined to endorse the government's plan to send the 
troops. However, in face of the widespread anti-war sentiment among the 
public and increasingly militant demonstrations, they decided to put off 
the vote and called on the president to persuade the public and quell
the dissent. At this, President Noh replied that he hope the parliament 
will pass the bill as soon as possible. 

Perhaps this struggle and the result is better to be called a temporary
"ceasefire" than a "victory". Both the Grand National Party and the 
ruling Democratic Party have no intention of backing down on their 
position of supporting the imperialist war, and President Noh Moo-Hyun 
is all the more determined to push for the bill. However, it was a 
victory in the sense the government and the parliament acknowledged the 
strength of the resistance of the Korean people.
Obviously, the government and the supporters of the dispatch will start a
widespread campaign to "persuade" the public before another attempt to 
vote on the motion. In this sense, this small victory merely heralds a 
beginning of stronger resistance to the war and dispatch of Korean 
troops. On the 26th, thirty students climbed onto the fence of the US 
Embassy shouting "stop to the war!". 

The "Common Action against War and for Peace" is planning to start 
another 24-hour demonstration in front of the National Assembly fr!
om 31st March. Also, on 29th March, there will be a People's Rally 
hosted by the Korean People's Solidarity -a permanent coalition of 
people's movements.
Progressive lawyers are planning to sue the Korean government at the 
Consitutional Court, based on the Korean Constitution that stipulates 
Korea shall "renounce all aggressive wars." The KCTU and FKTU issued a 
joint statement, announcing that workers will go on strike should the 
Korean government send troops to Iraq. 

Seven activists -four from the Korea Iraq Peace Team and three from KCTU-
 returned to Korea from Jordan on 24th March, after participating in 
anti-war activities there. Three activists still remain in Iraq and six 
in Jordan. Several activists, volunteers and religious members have also 
recently left Korea for Iraq. 

- Reported by International Solidarity Team, Korean People's Action 
against BIT and WTO (KoPA)