Nodutdol | News | May 2009

NEWS | May 2009

Sunday, May 31, 2009

The Time is Now for Real Negotiations with North Korea, Not More Sanctions and War Danger

The recent nuclear test and launches by North Korea and the resulting international condemnation showed how quickly tensions in Northeast Asia can escalate.

Once again, the U.S. is seeking more sanctions, North Korea threatens to restart its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, and the United States and South Korea raised their military alert level Thursday after the North said it would abandon the 1953 Korean War truce.

The possibility of war, and a new arms race with Japan nuclearizing hovers in the air. It is ironic that this is happening just as South Koreans mourn the death of former President Roh, who was a supporter of increased relations with the North.

Nodutdol’s Statement at the Roh Moo Hyun Memorial Service, Thursday, May 28, 2009

We are here today to mourn the death of former South Korean president Roh Moo Hyun. His death is significant on both personal and political levels, both for his family and for a nation mourning the death of one of its former leaders. While I’m sure everyone here is familiar with his story, I want to speak briefly about his legacy. A human rights lawyer who distinguished himself during the 1988 Gwangju trials, Roh Moo Hyun’s administration marked a watershed moment in South Korea’s young democracy, elected on a wave of progressive politics with the support of a new generation of political youth too young to remember military rule. Despite this, or maybe because of this, RMH had a difficult presidency. For the conservatives he was an object of scorn and disdain, while for the progressives he was criticized as not living up to the expectations of those that elected him. But people began to reevaluate his achievements in light of the Lee administration’s systematic dismantlement of what Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo hyun had put in place, and he became a symbol once again.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Petition To Release Six Reunification and Peace Movement Activists

PLEASE GO TO THE LINK BELOW TO SEE THE FULL LETTER AND SIGN PETITION
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/releaseSKprisoners/

We, the undersigned, express deep concern over the arrest of six reunification and peace movement activists, who were members of Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification (PKAR), on May 7, 2009. They were arrested by the National Intelligence Service of the South Korean government and charged with ‘communication with the enemy’ and ‘enemy-benefiting activities’, under the infamous and outdated National Security Law.

We understand that each arrested activist, namely, Choi Eun-A, Lee Kyu-Jae, Lee Kyeong-Won, Jang Yoon-Kyeong, Yoon Joo-Hyung, and Oh Soon-Wan, has been a part of the reunification movement in South Korea as member of PKAR and various other progressive organizations. PKAR was established in 1991 as part of efforts for reconciliation and solidarity among South Koreans, North Koreans and overseas Koreans. It has openly worked for reunification and has been transparent about its communications with North Korea.

An Embarrassed GNP & An Enraged DP Anticipate a Controversy of Political Retaliation

THE HANKYOREH
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/356610.html

GNP members express concern for possibilities of “public opinion turning against the current government,” while DP members say, “everyone knows what caused this tragedy”

» Police cordon off the incense burning place for the late former President Roh Moo-hyun from citizens at Duksu Palace, a center of Seoul on the night of May 23.

Political parties are in shock about the news of former President Roh Moo-hyun’s suicide on May 23. The ruling Grand National Party (GNP), the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), and other minor opposition parties, all convened meetings of high ranking members yesterday, but have been reserved in their public responses out of concern for political backlash.
The GNP has expressed both shock and embarrassment. Cho Yun-sun, the GNP spokesperson issued a statement, saying, “We feel so sad about the fact of the former President’s sudden death.” GNP Chairperson Park Hee-tae cut short his visit to Australia and returned to South Korea by dawn on May 24. Chairperson Park reportedly said, “The news is so sad and shocking.” The GNP convened a Supreme Council meeting to discuss how to handle the current situation, and asked the government to pay respects at Roh’s funeral. Some Supreme Council members, including lawmaker Jung Mong-jun, went to Busan University Hospital personally in order to attend the funeral service.

A Highlight on the Film- A Song For Ourselves

It’s Asian Pacific Heritage month, and a new documentary film, “A Song for Ourselves” by Tadashi Nakamura is a timely reminder of the beginnings of the Asian Pacific American movement.
The film profiles the life and too-early passing of a figure from the movement – Chris Iijima. A Japanese American born in NY, Chris, along with Nobuko Miyamoto and “Charlie” Chin, became known as the “voice” of the Asian American movement in the early 1970s. Their group, Yellow Pearl, which produced the 1973 album A Grain of Sand: Music for the Struggle by Asians in America, was an important part of the development of an Asian American identity at that time. Yellow Pearl would travel to different cities and communities, singing at meetings, schools, rallies and protests, making visible and ear-catchingly audible, the voice of a progressive Asian American movement that was aligned with the anti-Vietnam war movement, pro-Black and Latin power movements, that stood with Korean progressives calling for U.S. troops to get out of Korea, and more. This was at a time when the term “Asian American” was just coming into existence. In fact, Chris’s mother, Kazu Iijima, a long time activist herself, was one of the founders of NY’s first Asian American activist organization, Asian Americans for Action (Triple A) in 1968.

Nodutdol Commemorates Gwangju Massacre with Art and Poetry

Hong Sung Dam, Leaflets of Warriors 1, 1985 Woodcut

The Gwangju Massacre of May 1980 was an important moment in Korea’s history, a turning point for Koreans on the peninsula and in the U.S. It was an episode that sparked the democratization movement in Korea, as it exposed the reality of its military dictatorship – and the true relationship of the U.S. government and military to South Korea and the Korean people. The impact was felt by many Korean Americans as well, and in that way, led to the eventual founding of Nodutdol.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

A profile of one May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising suicide victim and his family

The Hankyoreh
Having survived interrogation and torture for participating in the May 18 movement, several victims continue to cope with the aftermath

Monday marks the 29th anniversary of the Gwangju Democratization Movement. What have become of the vegetable sellers, truck drivers, high school students and tea room employees who stood up against the guns of the military dictatorship on that day in 1980? Many of them ended up taking their own lives unable to escape the shackles of torture and brutality. At the request of the May 18 Memorial Foundation, the research team headed by psychologist Dr. Cho Yong-beom from the Life Rights Action Center has conducted a psychological analysis and profile of 10 suicide victims.– Editor

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

CPJ Criticizes S. Korea’s Step Backward in Press Freedom

The Hankyoreh
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/354444.html

» Members of the MBC labor union, left, block detectives and prosecutors from conducting a search and seizure of ‘PD Notebook’ original documents and recordings at MBC headquarters in Yeouido, April 22.

It was confirmed Monday that the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an international media watchdog, sent a letter on May 7 to President Lee Myung-bak to express their concern regarding South Korea’s press situation.

In the letter sent to President Lee Myung-bak, the committee said that it is “concerned by your administration’s increasing pressure on the Republic of Korea’s media” and cited the arrest of MBC “PD Notebook” producers and writers and the replacement of “News Desk” anchor Shin Kyung-min.

It also said that CPJ is “concerned because the prosecutions, sackings come amid a broader set of disputes with the government and the station’s management.” The letter expressed a concern especially about the administration’s “plan for deregulation of the republic’s vibrant media industry,” and made reference to the fact that “some media analysts say the government is behind the move because only three right-leaning pro-government Korean-language papers are wealthy enough to buy up the stations.”

Friday, May 8, 2009

1ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE CANDLELIGHT VIGILS

May 2nd was the first anniversary of the candlelight vigils against beef import in SK.

On April 6 last year, “Andante”, an online group organized a campaign for impeachment of President Lee Myungbak. By June 16, more than 1.3 million Internet users had joined in the signature campaign.

On May 2, a large candlelight vigil against the resumption of U.S. beef import began. During the weekend, it attracted more than 12,000 participants, of whom an estimated 60% were middle and high school students. The teenagers also organized their own street rallies on six occasions prior to August 15.

People organized a protest for the first anniversary of the first candlelight vigil, but police arrested 105 again.

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