CINA

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Since a while I'm following Kotaji's notes about some aspects of the coming presidential election in SK. Here the - in my opinion - most important [even I have a lot of problems with it.. (surprise, surprise!!) later possibly I'll write some of my thoughts about it..] contribution about the issue:

Unity with principles? [Korea elections special 2]

In this second post on the possibility of a progressive unity candidate in this year’s Korean presidential elections I’m going to look at the position of DLP left faction All Together [다함께]. Unlike some other radical left groups, they have recently argued in favour of a united progressive presidential candidate and the possibility of bringing left-leaning former Uri Party members in to the DLP, or even considering having them stand as a candidate.

However, in a recent leaflet (pdf) on the issue, All Together has put forward three basic prerequisites that such a unity candidate (and potential new members) must fulfill, which exclude the two most talked about possible leftward Uri Party defectors - Ch’ŏn Chŏngbae and Kim Kŭnt’ae. I’ll quote the important part of this leaflet below:

First, they must be opposed to neoliberalism. This excludes both Ch’ŏn Chŏngbae, who has argued that “we should accept the positive aspects of neoliberalism,” and Kim Kŭnt’ae, who has called the Korea-US FTA “positive” and argued only that “it should be finalised by the next government”.

In addition, both Ch’ŏn as floor leader of the Uri Party and Kim as Minister of Justice supported a reform of the labour laws that expanded the number of non-regular workers and promoted neoliberal restructuring. The Uri Party’s 386 ‘Reform Faction’ (개혁파) are exactly the same. They have supported the core neoliberal policies [of the Roh government], so their criticism of neoliberalism does not hold water.

Second, they must be opposed to war and support peace on the Korean peninsula. Just expressing support for the ‘Sunshine Policy’ - as a section of the rightwing Grand National Party do - is not enough. They must also be against US pressure on North Korea and above all they must be against the deployment of Korean troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon. DLP national assembly member No Hoech’an has also put forward opposition to the deployment of troops in Iraq as a core requirement for any potential unity candidate.

As a result Kim Kŭnt’ae and Ch’ŏn Chŏngbae are once again excluded, as they voted for the deployment of troops to Iraq in 2004. While claiming that they personally opposed the Iraq war, they indirectly supported the passing of the bill to send Korean troops to Iraq by attending the National Assembly to make up the required numbers for a quorum. The same goes for the Uri Party ‘Reform Faction’ who have praised the decision to send Korean troops to Lebanon under the guise of ‘UN Peacekeeping Forces’. Talking about peace and opposition to war while supporting Bush’s wars that have turned places all over the world into horrific battlefields amounts to shocking hypocrisy reminiscent of the Grand National Party’s slogan of ‘nuclear-free peace’ [in relation to the North Korean nuclear issue].

The only establishment politician who passes the two criteria outlined above is [independent, former Uri Party] assembly member Im Chong-in. Therefore, the third criterion is that they cannot be a part of the mainstream political forces, whether it’s the GNP, Uri Party or one of their mutations. These are the very people who have based themselves on powerful vested interests and promoted neoliberal and pro-war policies.

The real progressive camp - progressive NGOs, the Democratic Labour Party, labour and civic groups and a section of the individual [activists] - should unite together on the basis of these criteria.

Please read the entire post, incl. some replies here!

A contribution about the same issue in  Mormot's Hole you can read here.

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민주주의 만세!

VIVA LA DEMOCRACIA!

(^^) 

Bookstore hit with Nat'l Security Law (Hankyoreh, 5.04)
 

Police raided the offices of an internet book seller that had been selling the North Korean novel Ggot Paneun Cheonyeo ("The Flower Girl") and South Korean publications that circulated mostly underground in the South's universities during the 1980s, when pro-democracy campaigns prevailed across the nation against the dictatorship of then general-turned-president Chun Doo-hwan, and arrested the bookstore's chief executive on charges of violating the National Security Law.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency arrested the 52-year-old individual, who is only identified as a surname Kim, on May 1 and sought an arrest warrant against him on May 3 on charges of possessing and selling "publications advantageous to the enemy" under the notorious National Security Law. Police said Kim violated the National Security Law by selling the publications such as The Flower Girl and The Sea of People ("Minjungui Bada"), which hail North Korean regime and emphasize a social revolutionary ideology, via the Internet.

On April 30, police searched the Internet bookstore's offices and seized computer hard drives and about 200 books with classic 80's titles such as "Rethinking the Time Around Liberalization" (Haebang jeonhusaui Insik), "Philosophy Essay" (Cheorhak Essay), "Jeju Civic Uprising" (Jeju Minjung Hangjaeng) and "Russia Revolution" (Russia Hyeongmyeong). In addition, police said, "Discussions are underway with prosecutors on whether to apply charges against people who have purchased the books, too, after analyzing computer hard drives."

However, Kim rebuked police for applying the charges, saying, "I just resold books that could buy at any secondhand bookstore via the Internet. It's unacceptable that police applied the charges to me because I sold ordinary North Korean books."

Kim Seung-gyo, an attorney at a law firm Justice & Peace Law Group said, "Already, more than 90 percent of lawmakers support a move to scale down the categories of "publications advantageous to the enemy." It's nonsense that the police are trying to punish a person who just bought and sold books that were considered pro-North Korean more than a decade ago."

"If he doesn't exploit the book as an agitation tool to hail or advertise North Korea, it is an overzealous move by the police," he said.

The Flower Girl depicts an ordeal by a family whose members were forced to serve as slaves at a landlord's house because of a small debt incurred during the colonization era (1910-1945) by the Japanese Imperial government. The Sea of People features a housewife who became an anti-Japanese activist and encouraged her children to fight against the Japanese Imperial military forces after her husband was killed by Japanese soldiers in battle. Both were made into movies, and most South Koreans know of the works because they are performed as operatic dramas for visiting South Korean dignitaries who go to Pyongyang.

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/207232.html

Well, in 2002 I saw the first time a rally against NSL (and I commented it..^^). Later I joined more protests against NSL..

But - in my opinion - until now nothing changed.. Only few people were/are fighting against this f.. BS.

And now.. Perhaps in only few month all possibilities to abolish NSL are over (just imagine what will be happen when GNP is on "power")..

Nov./Dec. 2004: Hunger strike against NSL

A request by National Intelligence Service (the successor of KCIA) to

report so-called N. Korean spies and "left extreme criminals".

Of course after the picture was taken the "advertisement"

surprisingly disappeared^^ (fall/winter 2004)

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Labor party lawmaker announces presidential ambition

A former leader of the progressive Democratic Labor Party Thursday announced his candidacy for a party primary for December's presidential election.

"The focus of this year's presidential election will be whether a candidate can offer ways to revive the economy and foster peace on the Korean Peninsula," said DLP Rep. Kwon Young-gil.

..No comment!!!

"I will surely bring a bright future for Korea with a shift to a progressive regime," he said.

Kwon ran in the 1997 and 2002 presidential elections on the ticket of the DLP but only garnered 1.2 percent and 3.9 percent of the vote, respectively.

Kwon is expected to compete for his party's nomination with two colleagues, Rep. Shim Sang-jung and Rep. Roh Hoe-chan, who already announced their presidential bids.

Kwon has proposed a federation-based unification of the two Koreas, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Korea and the abolishment of the anti-communist National Security Law.

"I will be with any force that is willing to narrow the gap between rich and poor and that is against the free trade agreement with the United States," he said.

(Yonhap, 4.26)

http://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews/20070426/610000000020070426135409E0.html

But beside the fact that Kwon and the other DLP-candidates - in my opinion - have complete no chances in the coming election, remember what the SK more radical left said just few years ago about Kwon:

"Some times ago DLP called Kwon Young-gil as the Korean T. Blair. Now they're calling him the Korean Lula.."

And - BTW - I remember that Kwon, during the last election campaign promised in front of foreign capitalists (I think it was in the American Chamber of Commerce, but I'm not really sure..) that he would try his best to guarantee peaceful solutions for possible labour disputes between them and their Korean workers, to avoid strikes, ie actions of class struggle..

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THE N-S KOREAN UNIFICATION - JUST A "GOOD DEAL"(^^)

"An report estimated that it would cost North Korea 39.7 trillion won (approx. US$ 42.7 billions) during the first 14 years of reform and development." according to an article published 4.11 in DailyNK. (read the entire stuff here)

Yeah, so hurry up with the unification!! Because, perhaps later it will be a little more expensive. Right now it seems that the S.K. capitalists will have to spend just "peanuts" for to realize the N-S unification..

Well, just to be a little more serious: The reunification of East and West Germany was/is still f.. expensive!!

Even East Germany (the former GDR/German Democratic Republic) was almost a "Red Economy Power" (so a report of the West German TV/WDR/ broadcasted in the early 1980's) after the reunification in 1990 Billions of D-Mark/Euro were spent - of course paid by the ordinary (in the beginning West German) tax payers. Already in 1995 we estimated that at least US$600 Billion were spent for the unification until that time.

The bourgeoise German daily newspaper FAZ (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) wrote nearly three years ago (2004.9.19) that the "costs - so fare - for the reunification with 1,5 Trillion (yeah, you read well: 1,5 TRILLION!!!) Euro are higher than expected.."

Once again: in the 1980's the GDR was a kind of economically "well" developed country. Ha, for example: after I was deported in 1985 from the East to the West I saw so many products (in more ore less good quality, such as "stereo music centers", washing mashines ect..) "Made in GDR" in West Germany's shops (BTW.. the same products in the East never we were able to buy..).

And now North Korea/DPRK: "one of the poorest countries" in the world.. The main parts of the (former) industrial basis isn't existing anymore.. A kind of infrastructure: not existing.. Lack of electricity.. Nourishment problems for large parts of the population.. Etc..

OK, later more about it..

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&

"(Our) party will head towards reconciliation with a progressive and enthusiastic attitude." (*)

(Kim Choong-whan, GNP/한나라당)

GNP to soften stance on N.K.  (K. Herald, 3.13)
 
The conservative Grand National Party has announced that it will make a fundamental change to its hard-line approach to North Korea in light of improving relations following the latest breakthrough in the nuclear talks.
"While we will maintain the principles of our North Korean policies, we will put efforts into fundamentally changing the direction of the policies," said Kim Choong-whan, vice floor leader of the largest parliamentary bloc.

The GNP has been the representing voice for conservative and right-leaning voters of the South. It has clashed with the incumbent government as well as the prior Kim Dae-jung administration for their engagement policies towards the North.

"We will, from now on, condone and encourage various activities related to North Korea such as visiting Pyongyang, Gaeseong and Mount Geumgang for the exchange of business," Kim said.

The GNP's announcement comes amidst rising speculation that the Roh Moo-hyun government is pushing for an inter-Korean summit this year. The GNP has been criticizing the move in the belief that a successful summit could steal the limelight from its currently popular presidential candidates.

Inter-Korean relations are also picking up, with discussions being prepared on changing the Korean War armistice into a peace treaty in line with the ongoing nuclear negotiations

"From next month, members and lawmakers of the party will actively push for contacts with North Korea and participate in cooperation projects," Kim said.

"The party will head towards reconciliation with a progressive and enthusiastic attitude."

GNP lawmaker Chung Hyung-keun, who was once an intelligence official, said that the party does not oppose the peace treaty and that it also encourages normalization of ties between North Korea and the United States if it would help the communist regime reform and open up.

"The GNP will not be standing alone while circumstances are changing (on the Korean Peninsula)," Chung said in a radio interview with MBC.

Floor leader Kim Hyung-o also supported the party's change.

"The two Koreas as well as the United States and China must work to change the cease-fire line into a peace line for the sake of a permanent peace settlement on the Korean Peninsula, and the GNP will cooperate fully," Kim said during a parliamentary meeting.

The four countries are planning to create a peace forum, separate from the nuclear talks, for permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, which has been divided since the 1950-1953 Korean War.

The GNP, however, continued to criticize the government's push for a summit, opposing the planned visit by Uri Party Chairman Chung Se-kyun to the Gaeseong Industrial Complex this Thursday.

"For the party's leader to visit Gaeseong at a time of an extraordinary session means he is willing to ignore the public calls to deal with pending bills," Kim Choong-whan said.

Chung's trip follows last week's visit by former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan to Pyongyang, where he met No. 2 leader Kim Yong-nam and reportedly discussed the possibility of holding a summit.

https://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2007/03/14/200703140009.asp

* Haha, I really wanna see it!!

BTW.. the N.K. propaganda usually is calling the GNP a gang of reactionaries, fascists..^^ 

Related articles:

☞ Opposition GNP Faces Backlash on North Korea Policy (K. Times, 3.13)

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Oops~ KCNA (in English) needed nearly one week to get the information (and report) about last Saturday's "mass rally" against the "National 'Security' Law" (NSL) in Seoul!!^^

So they were able to write following today:

Abrogation of NSL Urged in S. Korea

The People's Solidarity for Abolition of the "Security Law" in south Korea reportedly sponsored a meeting in Seoul on Feb. 24 to vow to get the "National Security Law" repealed and frustrate the public security authorities' suppression. Speakers at the meeting said that the arrest of two teachers affiliated to the Teachers Union has made one see more clearly into the anti-reunification nature of the anachronistic NSL. And they stressed that all the people should turn out in the struggle to get the evil law abrogated and achieve the national reconciliation and peace. They also called for removing the shadow of the NSL from all realms of society, dissolving the public security machines, the leftover of dictatorship, and clearing away all systems violating freedom of thought and speech.

http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2007/200703/news03/02.htm#7 

☞ 서울역서 350여명, '국보법 폐지, 공안탄압 분쇄 결의대회' (Tongil News)

☞ [2월 24일] 국가보안법 폐지와 공안탄압분쇄 투쟁결의대회 (다함께)

Well, if the anti-NSL movement - possibly it includes all S.K. progressive organizations - will not be able to organize NOW a mass movement against NSL, the (likely) next gov't will show us what NSL really means!!!

Related:

☞ "National 'Security' Law"

☞ Fascist Evil Law Should Be Abolished..

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"The reactionary conservatives of south Korea such as the Grand National Party should be excluded from the nation.. Rodong Sinmun Sunday makes this demand in a by-lined article" (KCNA, 2.05 ☞ Removal of Reactionary Conservatives in S. Korea Urged)

Haha~ I'm 100 per cent sure that Rodong Shinmun will be "complete happy" about the (likely, but of course sad) result of the coming presidential election!! (oops, I'm really sorry..^^)

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長白山/백두산

S.Korean (cheap) attack..

..and the Chinese (funny) counter-attack.

For more about such idiotic stuff (^^!!!):

☞ Let the Sino-Korean netizen war begin!

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DLP and the coming presidential election:

Labor party leader seeks solidarity among progressive forces

The leader of the minor opposition Democratic Labor Party (DLP) Wednesday called for all progressive forces to unite for the December presidential election as the conservative major opposition party gains popularity due to sluggish economy and security concerns.

"There is hope that if progressive forces make a united front, we can sweep to power," DLP chief Moon Sung-hyun told a news conference. "We'll surely achieve a grand solidarity of all progressive forces."
Moon said his party will ally with all those who support the DLP's major policy platforms, but shun engaging in political realignment that might tarnish its public image as a labor party.

"We'll leave our door open to those intending to go along with our stance on medical insurance, housing and education" he said. "But we'll not do something that mars our identity."
The DLP, founded in 2000, has nine incumbent lawmakers in the 296-member National Assembly. The party's popularity reached a record 21.9 percent in an opinion poll in 2004 amid hopes it would take the initiative in reforming the South Korean political community, which has long been marred by factional fighting, money politics and regionalism.
 

The DLP's approval ratings, however, have gradually withered as its lawmakers didn't put forward any impressive legislation and didn't present a significant alternative policy for dealing with chronic economic doldrums, critics said.

The labor party was further hit hard after its deputy secretary general was indicted in December on charges of pro-North Korea activities. In a recent public survey, the party's approval ratings plummeted to 4.2 percent.
 

With the presidential elections drawing closer, the progressive party has a chance to revive the public's confidence in it amid a flurry of moves to regroup the political community. Some lawmakers who defected from the left-leaning ruling Uri Party have indicated they might align with the DLP.

"Public expectation of the Uri Party has been scattered. I believe a majority of people still want progressive forces to do well, so I confirm that the DLP should meet that expectation," Moon said.
 

Since 1998, South Korea has been governed by left-leaning governments seeking detente with North Korea and a greater redistribution of wealth. Recent public surveys, however, predicted a landslide victory by the conservative opposition Grand National Party in the December election.

http://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews/20070131/610000000020070131160042E7.html

Yonhap, 1.31

Yeah, dear DLP, keep dreaming!!

Actually - in my opinion - it would be very good for the S.K. society if progressive forces would get more influence/"power"..

But the DLP??? I really don't know..

Not long time ago a S.K. left(radical^^) political activist told me following story: "In the beginning of DLP's activities the people, like the activists in KCTU, called Kwon Young-gil (THE main "leader" of DLP) the Korean T. Blair(!!). Now they call him the Korean Lula(!!!!!)" Harrharr..

In Dec. 2005 Chosun Ilbo published following - about a very interesting opinion by one of the "leading" DLP activists:

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The (anti-DPRK) internet magazine DailyNK made (1.26) an interesting interview with Ryu Sang-min, the head of Chonnam Nat'l University Student Union, a strong candidate for the next chairperson of Hanchongnyeon (HCR/Korean Federation of University Student Councils/한총련):

☞ 한총련(준)의장 “북핵때문 맘편히 살아”

Here's the English translation:

You used the expression "nuclear-owning people" (haekpoyu minjok). What do you mean by that? (The interviewer refers to what Ryu said in a "New Year's Joint Struggle Proclamation.")
- North Korean nuclear [weapons] must be seen from the perspective of our nation (minjok). The possession of nuclear weapons is not aimed at the South. It's clear that nuclear weapons are not used against the same people. North's nuclear weapons are the consequence of the 62 years of USA's sanctions and attempts to overthrow their system and government. North Korea developed nuclear weapons for self-defense. It's because of USA that has attempted to crush the dignity and self-determination of North Korea. The nuclear weapons prevent war for our whole nation (uriminjok, "our nation", "our people", "our race"). North Korea's ability to prevent war keeps peace in the Korean peninsula and lets us live free from worry.

Your opinion of the North Korean Military First policy (sôn'gun chôngch'i) is very positive.
- Because of the Military First policy the peace in the Korean peninsula can be protected and the danger of war prevented. Because of North Korea's strong war deterrent, USA and other foreign powers (oese) can't mess with the Korean peninsula so easily. When in 2003 USA was going to attack Iraq it was said that it was because of weapons of mass destruction, but actually they were able to attack because there were no such weapons. If there was no military first [policy], it's possible that the Korean peninsula would face what happened in Iraq.
The role of military first is big in preventing USA's frantic plans of toppling North Korea['s government] and establishing a pro-American government.

Aren't you presenting purely the North Korean view?
- This is about preventing the dangers faced by the Korean peninsula, not about following the Northern system and politics unconditionally. Media is condemning us by claiming that we act on the orders of North Korea. We are concerned because the terminology [concerning military first policy] is used in a negative sense.

Why do you emphasize the struggle against Grand National Party?
- The presidential election takes place in 2007, and the fate of the nation depends on who gets elected. Bellicose statements such as "the problem of North Korean nuclear weapons must be solved even if there's a danger of war" prevent the unification and peace of the Korean peninsula. Therefore, we have declared struggle against Grand National Party [GNP] in the presidential election.
This year's election is not simply a contest of policies and pledges but a war (chônjaeng) between the forces of peaceful unification (p'yônghwat'ongil seryôk) and the fascist forces of the past (kwagô p'asyoseryôk). Since GNP has lost two presidential elections they'll fight hard to take the power. GNP's schemes uncompatible with the June 15 era must be stopped.

Do you see GNP aiming to return to the dictatorship of the past?
- GNP, regarding North Korea as enemy and the June 15 declaration as national discrace is an anti-masses(panminjung), anti-unification force.

What do you think about the serious breaches of human rights in North Korea?
- I can't understand the talk about North Korean human rights problems. USA is pointing out human rights problems in North Korea, but USA's breaches of human rights are more serious. How many people in the big land mass of USA are able to live and hold up human rights?
There are several North Korean human rights organizations in our country as well, but the violations of human rights in South Korea are also very severe. The Southern part is no different in regard to human rights. Human rights are a question of the system of the society. People in North Korea must feel it in order to have a problem, it's not something to be defined by outsiders.

Isn't the North Korean human rights situation too horrible to be compared with South Korea?
- Where's the proof? North Korean refugees say there are human rights problems, but they can't be believed. US human rights organizations' covert operations (kongjak) make North Korean refugees tell lies. USA gives all kinds of funds to human rights organizations and has them operate along the Chinese border and scheme "unwilling" escapes from North Korea. We must listen to the opinions of people living in North Korea and not the refugees. I went to the Kumgang Mountains and met North Koreans (Pukhan tongp'o) there. I didn't hear them say that there are human rights problems [in North Korea].

So do you mean that there are no human rights problems in North Korea?
- We must correct our perspective on human rights problems. People living in North Korea are proud of the Military First policy, and if they think that it's ok to have less to eat and wear in order to defend that policy, then the consequently arising problems can't be regarded as human rights problems.

Translation by: A. Leppäsen

http://hunjang.blogspot.com

Well, I think there should be no further comment necessary!!^^

But actually I really can't believe that he (Ryu) is meaning this f.. bull shit seriously. Like that: "I went to the Kumgang Mountains and met North Koreans there. I didn't hear them say that there are human rights problems" .. Harrharr!!!! 

Of course I know that he - unfortunately - means it seriously! I had several meetings with HCR activists and so I know..