CINA

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"The Taepodong II missile is too small to reach the United States, but too big to be directed at South Korea."..

..he(Roh) said yesterday during a press conference in Helsinki, Finland

So, everything is fine - no problems on the Kor. Peninsula!!

And of course: "I think media speculation is.. the reasons that makes the issue more difficult.. It will only make many people worried and could also harm inter-Korean ties(*).", he said when he was asked about the danger of a possible NK nuclear test.

Yeah, when, after a(possible) nuclear test, the entire Kor. Peninsula is contaminated... its just the fault of the speculation of the media.. How stupid some one alone can be, to make such crazy statements??

Short before at the same press conference, when Roh was asked about the same issue he gave this answer: "Let me talk about the missile tests first. The Taepodong II missile is too small to reach the United States, but too big to be directed at South Korea." Harrharr.. what a b.. sh..!!!

This reminds me on a interview in 1984, E. Honecker, at that time the chairman of the State Council(president) of the former GDR(East Germany) gave to a West German news paper(it was reprinted in Neues Deutschland, the central daily of the ruling "Socialist Unity Party of Germany"). He was asked what he's thinking about the many(East German) people who want to leave the country(to the West). And he answered like that: "Yes, I know very well that many people all over the world recognize the GDR as a country which is struggling for peace and democracy."(and of course no word about the people who want to leave the GDR..).

* So finally the issue about a golf ressort in Gaeseong(for example) is more important as the issue of nuclear weapons/tests on the Kor. Peninsula - according to Mr Blabla!!

And BTW.. Don't worry, everything is fine!!

NO FURTHER COMMENT!!

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Despite really heavy rain in S. Korea..

..yesterday at least 50,000 farmers, unionized workers, students... took (not only) the streets to protest against the planned ROK-US FTA.

Just in the morning following was reported:

"This morning, 41 unionized irregular workers occupied the roof of the building left beside Dong-A B/D near Gwanghwamun (Sejong-no/jong-no intersection) in central Seoul. They are demanding job protection, regular worker status, an end to the government crackdown on the labor movement, an immediate end to the FTA talks, securing of workers rights, and an end to the spread of neoliberalism. 100 protestors were blocking the front entrance of the building, preventing the police from entering to remove those on the roof. More are gathering right now to help defend those who have occupied the building..."

www.anarclan.net (english board)

Here you can see a video about the action:

http://www.nofta.or.kr/webbs/view.php?board=nofta_10&id=100

Another great picture about this action you can see here:

http://blog.jinbo.net/virus/?pid=106

Later in the early afternoon some 50,000 (VoP reported/Yonhap wrote in the afternoon 70,000) activists gathered in front of Seoul City Hall for a massive protest rally.

Later, when I understood it well (I'm still 9,000 KM west of S.K.), the masses wanted to march in the direction of the so-called Blue House, the residence of the president.

Of course they were blocked by large units of riot cops (according to govt. sources 28,000 troops were on the spot..). In several places around the Gwanghwamun area fierce clashes between unarmed protesters and the riot cops, using metal shields, clubs, fire extinguisher and water cannons, took place.

Finally in the evening hours, around 9 PM, the confrontations were concentrated in the near/in front of the US embassy.

For more reports/latest news please check out(VoP/민중의소리, here you also can watch 8 documentaries):

[현장중계 20신 최종 오후 9시 30분]
민중의 힘, "미대사관 앞을 열었다"

More Pics you can see here:

물대포와 방패를 뚫고

And of course for the latest news, pictures, videos.. please check out:

www.nofta.or.kr

(unfortunately there is NO english updating until now..)

About two hours ago the semi-official news agency Yonhap was reporting this:

Tens of thousands of anti-FTA activists rally in Seoul, despite heavy rain

Tens of thousands of South Korean activists and farmers braved torrential rains to stage anti-U.S. rallies Wednesday, denouncing their government's free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with Washington as a form of "U.S. economic colonialism."

About 60,000 anti-globalization protesters moved near Gwanghwamun street in central Seoul after holding a rally in front of Seoul City Hall on Wednesday afternoon, said officials at the Korean Alliance against Korea-U.S. FTA, an association of anti-FTA civic groups in South Korea. Police estimated the number of protesters at 28,000.

During the rally near the city hall, the protesters, clad in raincoats, chanted anti-American slogans such as "We oppose U.S. economic colonialism." They also held pickets which read, "The FTA is handing over our entire economy to the U.S." and "The economic invasion. War threats. The U.S. is an axis of evil."

After moving to areas near Gwanghwamun street, the demonstrators tried to form a human chain around the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae, but more than 20,000 riot police prevented them from doing so. The police blocked areas surrounding the presidential office and the U.S. Embassy in Gwanghwamun and clashed with some of the protesters, but no casualties have been reported so far, police officers said.

South Korean farmers, laborers and activists have conducted anti-FTA demonstrations since Monday, when South Korea and the U.S. opened their second round of FTA talks in Seoul with the aim of signing a deal by early next year. The protesters say the FTA would threaten their livelihood.

The violent street rallies even forced the South Korean government to cancel its interim briefing on the five-day FTA talks with the U.S., which was scheduled to take place at the Government Complex Building in downtown Seoul. The briefing was rescheduled for Thursday morning.

The afternoon rally snarled traffic in central Seoul and congestion was heightened as heavy rain battered the Seoul metropolitan area during the evening rush hours. Major streets were jammed in central Seoul, with cars moving at speeds below 10 kilometers per hour. Major subway stations were crammed as people attempted to head home.

Seoul received nearly 200 millimeters of rain as of 3 p.m. and weather officials forecast the downpour would continue until Thursday morning.

In a related development, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, a major umbrella trade union, implemented a six-hour strike Wednesday to protest the ongoing trade liberalization talks.

The labor union claimed 170,000 union members participated in the walkout but police put the number at 74,000...

http://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews/20060712/640000000020060712220158E3.html
   
 

A contract worker is being stopped by riot police in the attempt to occupy the Ilmin Museum of Art during a rally against a Korea-U.S. free trade agreement in Gwanghwamun, Seoul on Wednesday. Protestors also demanded regular employment for casual workers.

(the complete reactionary daily Chosun Ilbo)

Korea Herald(also a kind of reactionary)  is writing today following:

Activists stage wet anti-FTA protests 

(as you can see/read the bourgeois media don't take the protest seriously, not really..)

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Sunday, 7.09 was the last day of Peace March. Since 5 days activists were marching from Seoul to Pyeongteak to protest against the relocation of USFK bases - as well against the planned ROK-US FTA...

On Voice of People(VoP) yesterday the first English "report" about it was published:

"People are Marching for the Peace"

The latest about the end of Peace March you can read here(in Korean):

[평화행진 5일차] 팽성상인회, 평화순례단에 각목테러 (VoP)

Here: http://blog.jinbo.net/tkdcjsdk/?pid=55 you can see more impressive pics..

For more informations please check out:

평택범대위

http://antigizi.or.kr

http://www.saveptfarmers.org

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FROM OSAN TO PYEONGTAEK..

source: 민중의소리(VoP)

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Since weeks all across the country the activists are preparing for coming Wed., 7.12(!!!^^), the Central Struggle Day Against ROK-US FTA.

Just some minutes ago I found this (funny) propaganda poster.

It looks more like a bloody, raw steak^^

And believe it or not, the upper half of the steak is complete incedible...

For more infos about the Anti-FTA struggle check out this:

http://nofta.or.kr/

And from tomorrow or so I'll write more about the issue..

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English report? Just forget it..^^ (mi-anh hae-yo. oh no.. I'm not frustrated, not at all..)

The 3rd day of Peace March: from Suwon to Osan..

[행진 3일차] 오산역 촛불..."빈집 철거 그냥 두지 말자"

source: 민중의소리

토요일에 대추리에 들어가기 위해 알아야 할 사항들을 알려드립니다.
토요일에 대추리에 들어가려면 가능한 일찍 들어가세요.
평화행진 팀이 들어가기 전에 들어가야 들어갈 수 있을 것 같습니다.
경찰은 분명히 행진 팀을 막을 것으로 보입니다.
일요일 오전에 가도 들어가지 못할 확률이 매우매우 높습니다.
금요일 밤이 제일 좋고, 아니면 토요일 점심 이전에 가야 들어갈 수 있을 것 같습니다.    

  
물론 평화행진 팀과 함께 원정3거리에서 길을 막는 경찰에 항의하며 길에서 날밤을 새면서 함께 투쟁의 결의를 다시면서 진한 동지애를 느끼고, 마침내 경찰의 저지선을 뚫고 다같이 마을 사람들의 열광적인 지지와 환호를 받으며 대추리로 들어가고 싶은 사람은 평화행진 팀에 반드시 결합하세요.


8일 토요일 저녁 7시에 평택역에서 열릴 촛불집회에 꼭 오시면 됩니다.    

꼭 오세요!! 반드시 여기에 오셔야 합니다!!!!!!
친구들 데리고 모두모두 오세요!

토요일에 대추리에 들어가기 위해 알아야 할 것들 (토요일 저녁 7시 평택역 촛불집회에 꼭 오삼!!!!) 

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(Of course) until now there is no English report about the - now - 2nd day of the Peace March.

So here just some pictures and a article in Korean by Voice of People (민중의소리):

The 2nd day: Protest in Gwacheon, Govt. complex

Demo in downtown Suwon

Protest rally in front of Gyeongi-do Police HQ, Suwon

2nd Evening Culture Festival..

..at Suwon Stn.

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Actually comrades wanted to report daily in English, but until now..

But here are some first photo impressions(by VoP):

Short after the begin of Peace March. Sejong-no, near Gwanghwamun

1st Evening culture festival..

..at Dang-san subway station

On 민중의 소리/Voice of People I found following article(in Korean) 

about the first day of the Peace March:

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KCNA, a.k.a. NK's state agency to publish politacal jokes, reported yesterday following stuff:

Rodong Sinmun on Anti-U.S. Struggle of South Koreans

The nation-wide movement for independent national reunification requires to put an end to the U.S. policy of making south Korea into its military base and drive the U.S. imperialist aggressors out of south Korea, which is a vital issue related to the destiny of the nation and an urgent demand of the times that brooks no further delay. Rodong Sinmun Sunday says this in a signed article.
    It goes on:
    The U.S. military presence in south Korea is a brigandish act of violating the demand and desire of all the Korean people for national independence and sovereignty and a vicious crime of turning south Korea into a springboard and an advanced base for a war of aggression and blocking the reunification and independent and unified progress of the nation.
    The anti-U.S. struggle in south Korea is rapidly developing into a mass struggle.
    The south Korean people's awareness of anti-U.S. independence growing after the adoption of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration gives impetus to an extensive anti-U.S. struggle. Most of south Koreans regard the U.S. as the biggest obstacle standing in the way of reunification and assert that the U.S., not the north, should be designated as the principal enemy.
    The anti-U.S. struggle is now becoming a common slogan transcending class and strata, affiliation and position, progress and conservatism.
    The anti-U.S. struggle of south Koreans has recently intensified and developed in broad and diverse forms in combination with the movement for reunification.
    The movement for national reunification in Korea is inseparably linked with the anti-U.S. struggle. It is impossible to achieve national reunification without the anti-U.S. struggle. It is none other than the U.S, who has divided Korea into two and kept its troops stationed in south Korea, standing in the way of Korea's reunification for more than 60 years.
    The south Korean people are intensifying their struggle, converting different forms of the movement for national reunification into the anti-U.S. struggle this year, too.
    What draws attention in their anti-U.S. struggle is that international support and solidarity with it are increasing day by day.
    The anti-U.S. struggle is the requirement of the times and the unanimous desire of all the fellow countrymen. Voices demanding the withdrawal of the U.S. troops from south Korea are growing in the U.S., too.
    The U.S. should stop its anachronistic policy of domination over south Korea, its moves to make it a military base and take a bold decision to withdraw its aggression troops from south Korea.

HARRHARR..

..of course there's ONLY ONE SOLUTION!!

(DPRK-style WORLD REVOLUTION^^)

"USFK Bastards Out Now!"

주한미군철거가

우리나라

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From the Blue House to Daechuri: March for Peace

Beginning on July 5th, anti-war and human rights activists will march from the Blue House (Korea's Presidential Residence) to Daechuri, in Pyeongtaek, the site of the U.S. military's Camp Humphreys.

The 285 li (a li is a traditional Korean measure of distance) march will protest the Korean and American governments' expropriation of the 2,850,000 pyong (1 pyong = 3.3 meters squared) of land currently belonging to the farmers of Daechuri and Doduri.

On July 5th, the march will begin with a press conference at 10am at the Blue House and will then pass through Gwanghwamun, move on to Seoul Station, and will pass Yongsan Garrison, the U.S. military's headquarters on the peninsula. There will be a performance in front of the Korean Ministry of National Defense at 1pm. The march will then cross Seoul's Dongjak Bridge and will hold a 7pm candlelight vigil at Sadang Station. The day's march will then continue to Gwacheon where the marchers will rest for the evening.

On July 6th, the march will resume with a 10am rally in front of the Government Complex at Gwacheon. The march will then continue to Anyang Prison and the Keyonggi-Do police Headquarters. A 7pm candlelight vigil will be held at Suwon Station.

On July 7th, the march will begin at 10am in front of Suwon Airbase. The route will pass Byeongjeom Station and Osan College Station before holding a 7pm candlelight vigil at Osan Airbase (located in Songtan). The marchers will sleep outside the main gate of Osan Airbase.

On July 8th, the march will resume at 10am from Osan Airbase and will continue to the Pyeongtaek City Council Building. A 1pm rally will be held at the Pyeongtaek jail, where Kim Jitae and others are being held. This will be followed by a 7pm candlelight vigil at Pyeongtaek Station. The marchers will then continue on to Daechuri village.

July 9th, a general demonstration will be held in Daechuri.

http://www.saveptfarmers.org/