CINA

본문

Lee Gil-jun - A Riot Cop In Resistance #1

While the (reactionary) media of the S.K. ruling class is still lamenting about "protest violence", the "lack of respect for the law", "police impotence" (Chosun Ilbo/JoongAng Ilbo) Lee Gil-jun, a young police officer, decided to refuse to continue his service in the riot police units, i.e. he refused his duty to oppress, if "necessary" with extreme violence, the daily mass protests (since late April) against the gov't. While refusing the service as riot cop, he decided to desert, sheltering himself in a cathedral and call publicly for the dismantling of the riot police units.

Today's (bourgeois) Korea Herald wrote following article about Kim Gil-jun's case:

Officer wants compulsory police system abolished

A riot policeman is protesting the duty of dealing with street demonstrators against U.S. beef imports, calling for the compulsory service police system to be abolished.

"When standing with shields in front of citizens and using violence, I dare not think of refusing the order, and had no choice but to accept the pains without resistance," said Lee Gil-joon, 24, in a press conference on Sunday.

"I felt like my humanity was burning. It was a horrific thing to accept myself as having to toe the line without a word when being mobilized in the dispersal operations and standing to the side indefinitely, on the receiving end of public catcalls and complaints."

Lee's protest came after another officer demanded in mid-June that a national administrative appeals commission deliberate on his request for transfer to the Army, citing skepticism about performing his duty against his will.

Lee, who joined the Seoul police unit in February, has staged the protest since Sunday at a cathedral in Yangcheon-gu, southwestern Seoul. He initially planned to hold a press conference on Friday last week when he was set to return to his unit after his three-day vacation, but it was deferred to Sunday due to the stern admonishment of his parents.

"During the difficult times, I tried to find a way to escape, but thought that avoiding the situation is not the right answer," Lee said.

"By staying there, I thought I would end up eventually contributing to the maintaining of the oppressive structure. Most of all, I felt the need to listen to the voice of my heart and protest what suppresses me now with a clear voice in leading my remaining life."

Lee also said that assault and battery have occurred within the police unit, and called for a solution to stamp out the root causes of these problems.

Lee is likely to face charges for avoiding his duty. His supporters say that when he is tried they will assert that the auxiliary police system is unconstitutional. In 1991, a riot policeman filed a petition with the Constitutional Court to rule on a similar case, but five out of the nine judges at the court said that the police system is constitutional in their 1995 ruling.

All able-bodied Korean men of 19 or older are obliged to serve in the military for 24-27 months. Some apply for or are randomly selected for the National Auxiliary Police system instead of going into the military...

More about it you can read here tomorrow!