The Korean Alliance against the Korea-U.S. FTA

150-982 Daeyoung Building 3F, 139 Youngdeungpo-dong 2-ga,
Youngdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Tel: 82-2-775-2501 www.nofta.or.kr

Official Release, July 3, 2007

To: The International Community Concerned about Democratic Principles and Economic and Social Justice

Re: International Protest Letter against the Arrests of Co-Chairs of the Korean Alliance against the Korea-U.S. FTA

See: International Protest Letter: In Protest against the Arrests of Oh Jong-ryul and Jung Gwang-hoon

 The Situation

On Tuesday, July 03, 2007, two Co-Chairs of the Korean Alliance against the Korea-U.S. FTA, Oh Jong-ryul and Jung Gwang-hoon, were arrested on charges of carrying out ‘illegal’ and ‘non-permitted’ protests against the free trade agreement between U.S. and Korea. Mr. Oh and Mr. Jung are currently detained at a police station in Seoul; in a few days, they will be relocated to another jail where they will await sentencing. Korea’s consitution does not recognize a permit system for rallies; only a notice needs to be given, which we have done so without fail. We, the Korean Alliance, thus feel that their arrests are a direct violation of democratic and constitutional right to assemble and express our opinion. Since its formation in March 2006, the Korean Alliance has organized peaceful and legal demonstrations against what we think is a seriously unjust agreement for the people of Korea, the U.S., and the world. However, since November 2006, the Roh Moo-hyun Administration has declared all Korean Alliance’s public rallies illegal. Police suppression has been severe on all activities of the Korean Alliance. We believe that the Roh Moo-hyun Administration has gravely violated fundamental rights of the people to assemble and oppose any unjust government practices.

Mr. Oh was born in 1938 in the city of Kwangju. He helped establish the Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union, for which he was imprisoned. He has worked tirelessly for democracy, unification, and the abolition of Korea’s National Security Law, the latter for which he was again imprisoned. Mr. Jung was born in 1939 in the city of Haenam. He has been active in the democratic movement to demand government responsibility, for which he was imprisoned for 4 years. He has served as President of the Korean Peasants’ League, the national federation of small farmers’ organizations. He has for years led the farmers’ movement against the WTO and free trade.

 Call for International Protest Letter

We ask the international community to carefully consider the situation of Korea. What is happening in Korea happens daily around the world. We call upon individuals and organziations to endorse this protest letter.

Please send endoresements via email to interstruggle gmail.com

Indicate that you endorse this letter, then give us your name, organization, city, and country.

Timing is crucial, so please send us your endorsements by July 13, 2007