Korea Solidarity for Conscientious Objection (KSCO)
E-mail : COrights@jinbo.net Tel : 82-2-852-9086 Fax : 82-2-851-9087
About one year has passed since this issue of conscientious objectors came into the spotlight in south Korea. Local NGOs have been trying to iron out this issue. They have held a variety of forums and public hearings to prove that this issue gets involved with human rights not the issue per se on moral and religious grounds. They also have provided the conscientious objectors with legal support and consultation.
As a result of those activities, the KSCO which is made up of 30 civic groups and lots of individual supporters was kicked off on 4 Feb. The aim of the KSCO is to make the issue of conscientious objectors more public and draw people's attention. The KSCO is trying to put more focus on legal support, consultation for the draftees and research on the alternatives of military service.
Send the authorities the protest letters by fax or E-mail (addresses stated below) if you're with us. Please spread the words about the situation we've got here.
<The Blue House >
Fax : 82-2-770-0084
E-mail: webmaster@cwd.go.kr<Ministry of Defense >
Fax: : 82-2-748-6895
E-mail: webmaster@mnd.go.kr
Make booking without detention on Mr. Oh!
KSCO's standpoint over Mr. Oh's case, Feb 7th.
Today, 7 Feburary, is the day when Mr Oh who is a pacifist and Buddhist, is supposed to go through investigation for conscientious objection. Mr Oh, who has stepped in the office of human right movement instead of military basic training center last 17 Dec., stated that he refuse to join the armed forces in order to keep his religious faith and values. He reeled off about his faith and the troubles he's got in the process of making a decision to be one of conscientious objectors. He asked for the government to accept the alternative of military service, thinking of the 1600 some conscientious objectors in jail and hoping his case will pave the way for their rights in the future. He has spent most of his time volunteering at a homeless shelter and a soup kitchen for the elderly. Two months later, now he's accused of conscientious objection and due in investigation.
The KSCO urges the authorities to acknowledge the conscientious objectors and improve the alternative ways of military service. The conscientious objectors including Mr. Oh have admitted that they were against the military service law, which means they have no intent of destroying evidence and fleeing. Under these circumstances, no doubt the police can make booking without detention, but the authorities haven't done it the way we've called for. Except for a few cases, the authorities have sticked to investigation under restraint.
Booking without detention is gaining ground around the globe for the purpose of the protection of defendants' human rights. At the end of the year 2001, the Supreme Court announced that they're going to expand the range of the booking without detention. The KSCO takes the booking without detention on the conscientious objectors for granted on the grounds of the criminal law. It sure will be able to guarantee the human right of defendants before the trial. In case of Mr. Oh, He deserves not to be put under restraint during investigation. The authorities need not to adhere to the retributive investigation but to move forward to booking without detention.
2001. 2. 7.
Recognition of Conscientious Objectors Declaration of 1000 People Urging
Alternative Military Services
The testimonies of Jehovah's Witnesses who claimed they could not bear arms on religious grounds were broadcast through various mediums last year raising new human rights problems in the Korean society. It is the problem of 'conscientious objectors'. There have been about 10,000 conscientious objectors since the establishment of the nation's armed forces, but their existence had not been revealed and there hadn't been any debate on the matter of conscientious objectors.
Conscientious objectors refer to people who refuse to serve in the armed forces or bear arms on moral or religious grounds. Conscientious objectors in Korea refused to serve in the armed forces when it is a requirement of all healthy men in Korea. Consequently, they are serving prison sentences.
Currently, there are about 1,600 men serving in prisons around the nation for being conscientious objectors and refusing to serve in the armed forces. This number is increasing every year. These people were not qualified for amnesty or restoration of rights and must live a life with a criminal record. These people were also excluded from general parole status and must serve more than 27 months, a period longer than the required period of military service, before they are given parole status. Sometimes, a father and son serve the sentence consecutively and sometimes brothers serve a sentence together. Recently, there have been cases where sentences were reduced 6 months for such conscientious objectors, but there still isn't any debate over the rights of conscientious objectors at a government level.
The international trend is to recognize the rights of conscientious objectors, but such a trend is being put to shame in Korea. Korean laws seem to be conservative with regard to freedom of the conscience in that "the conscience is free when it is internal, but can be restrained when it is expressed externally." Rational policies allowing conscientious objectors to serve the country in other ways are being suppressed. 40 countries around the world recognize the rights of conscientious objectors through conscientious objection laws and various subordinate laws. Alternative military service is also actively carried out by serving in non-combat zones or social welfare institutions such as nursing homes and facilities for the disabled. UN and other international organizations also recognize the rights of conscientious objectors as proper rights stemming from reason and principles based on the conscience. Recognition of human rights for conscientious objectors and appropriate policies are being recommended through various draft resolutions.
In Taiwan, alternate military services were introduced in 2000 and improved conditions greatly. Circumstances similar to Korea in that Taiwan faces military confrontation with China and it is a male-oriented military nation, the fact that it could introduce alternate military services is a result of utilitarian principles regarding efficient distribution of resources and an interest in the human rights of conscientious objectors. In Germany, the rights of conscientious objectors are stated in the law. About 30% of those serving in the armed forces are serving alternate military services. The areas they served are broad ranging in all social welfare areas and their services contributed in constructing a welfare nation. Alternate military services have a long history and are being implemented not only in Taiwan and Germany, but in 20 countries around the world including Denmark and Austria.
In Korea, more than 600 conscientious objectors head for prison instead of bearing arms. There are currently 1,600 in prison right now. Since the introduction of the draft system, the number of conscientious objectors continue to increase. The recent refusal to serve in the armed forces by pacifist and Buddhist, Oh Tae-yang, has given rise to the fact that the problem of conscientious objectors is not only limited to a specific religion, but is a problem of many young men who face enlistment.
Until now, the problem of conscientious objectors was perceived as unique actions limited to a certain religion rather than being debated as a social problem of human rights. Such a prejudiced perception and the lack of proper debate prevented a social approach to the problem. However, since there are already various alternate military services such as public services and special exemption of military services, policies for protecting the rights of conscientious objectors will bring about more progress in a shorter time than Taiwan. Concerns that recognition of conscientious objectors and the introduction of alternate military services "might threaten national defense in a situation where North and South Korea are in confrontation" can be overcome through democratic social agreements and rational policies. The many countries that have alternate military services proves that such concerns only amount to unfounded anxiety.
In any case, the freedom of conscience guaranteed by constitutional laws must be respected. The national power and social and cultural violence of isolating and excluding conscientious objectors from society cannot be accepted. How much longer will their consciences be locked up behind bars? Protecting the rights of a minority group such as conscientious objectors is an important responsibility of a true democratic society that respects human rights. If there are ways to respect individual rights without being contrary to the benefits of the nation, then they should be considered and implemented.
1552 signatories
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Fifty-eighth session
Item 11(g) of the Provisional Agenda
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION
TO MILITARY SERVICE AS HUMAN RIGHTWritten Statement by MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society, a Korean non-governmental organization in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
1. MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society was established in 1988 to contribute the democratization of Korean society. Since then, MINBYUN has worked to improve human rights conditions in legal area, and defended the political prisoners who were particularly arrested in violation of the National Security Law and the Security Observation Law etc. MINBYUN has also endeavored to reform the undemocratic laws and systems in Korean society. After Korean government signed the UN human rights instruments such as International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 1990, MINBYUN has tried to watch Korean government to faithfully implement such Covenants and to perform its responsibility hereunder in domestic arena. In addition, MINBYUN has prepared and submitted alternative reports to the UN in regards to Korean government's reports which it has burden to file under the UN human rights instruments, so as Korean government's reports to be duly considered by the UN.
2. The UN Commission on Human Rights made a resolution in 1998 session (E/CN.4. Res/1998/77) that the conscientious objection to military service is one of the fundamental human rights based upon freedom of thought, conscience and religion. In the context of this 1998 resolution, the UN Commission on Human Rights decided in Resolution in 2000/34 that States should reexamine their current status of laws and customs on conscientious objection to military service, and requested to the Office of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights to prepare a compilation and analysis of best practices concerning the recognition of conscientious objection to military service and provision of alternative service. Nature of conscientious objection to military service as basic right was already confirmed in 1993 by General Comment(General Comment 22 [48]) of the Human Rights Committee. At that Comment, the Human Rights Committee declared that conscientious objection to military service is from freedom of expression enshrined in Article 18 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. These resolutions and comment of the UN Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Committee mean that conscientious objection to military service is in itself a basic human right, regardless of whether or not alternative service has been established by States. Therefore States should respect conscientious objection to military service as legitimate right, and should not punish conscientious objectors. States should also prepare an alternative service for conscientious objectors. As mentioned in the foregoing, Korea is a signatory country on International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and took part in the above 2000 resolution of the UN Commission on Human Rights, and thus Korean government has a responsibility to declare internationally and domestically that it respect conscientious objection as human right, and to provide an adequate alternative service for conscientious objectors.
3. The present situation on conscientious objection, however, in Korea is very far from expectation by the above UN resolutions and comment. Surprisingly, about 1,600 conscientious objectors, all of whom are Jehovah's Witnesses, are now in jail as criminals. For the period of 1991-2000, 3,736 conscientious objectors were arrested, sentenced to be guilty in violation of the Military Criminal Law, and imprisoned for three years. Even in 2000, 642 conscientious objectors were convicted. According to their religious faith and conscience, if young Jehovah's Witnesses begin military service, they deny soon exercising military training to use guns, and since there is no exceptional clause for conscientious objectors in the Military Service Law and the Military Criminal Law, their denials to exercise military training eventually lead to jail. In the past, the sentence to them, without any exception, was given for the imprisonment of three years, which is maximum term under the Military Criminal Law. But last year, some of them did not correspond to conscription notice and thus instead of the Military Criminal Law, the Military Service Law applied to them. The trial was preceded before the civil court, not military court. In those cases, some judges ruled that the convicted persons should be imprisoned for one year and six months, which is shorter than three years term by military court. Even though these civil court decisions reflect sympathy with conscientious objectors to some degree, there is no actual change, because conscientious objection is not recognized as legally meaningful right and conscientious objectors do not choose any alternative service. At the present, conscientious objectors are treated as criminals in Korean society, and have serious problems in obtaining jobs. They are not eligible to be employed as a public officer, and also because of importance of military service career in business sector, it is nearly impossible for them to have proper jobs.
4. Jehovah's Witnesses who were sentenced to be imprisoned for three years in jail as conscientious objectors have been discriminated even in jail. Ordinary prisoners are able to apply a parole where their term in jail elapses one third, but in the case of Jehovah's Witnesses they are unable to enjoy a parole until elapse of twenty-seven months. Furthermore, their religious meeting is strictly prohibited on the ground that they denied to perform military service based upon their religious faith, even though the correction officer admits that conscientious objectors are best prisoners who faithfully observe the correction rule. These extreme discrimination will continue unless the present legal situation does not change. Korean government has responsibility to do a reform.
5. Disregard to conscientious objection in Korean society is related to the military dictatorship which began in 1961 coup de tat and continued to early 1990s. The military junta established conception most important duty of Korean people is to perform the military service for defense of country, because historically, Korea was invaded by foreign countries and after liberalization from Japan, Korea was divided into South and North. From this background, in Korea, military service has become unavoidable duty, unless people are not physically unable to do it or are employed in defense industry. Korean people have not dared to be a conscientious objector except Jehovah's Witnesses. However, military dictatorship has been overcome through civilian movement, and Korean society has been developing democracy in whole area. Therefore there is no ground that conscientious objection to military service is still to be unrecognizable from the viewpoint of defense of country and national security against North Korea.
6. Since last year, as the fact that many Jehovah's Witnesses are in jail as conscientious objectors is known to public, Korean people have become to concern about the issue of conscientious objection to military service. Civilian activists organized groups to support and help Jehovah's Witnesses in jail, and started to campaign conscientious objection to military service is to be respected as human right. The press also reported in detail the process of trials on conscientious objectors at courts. MINBYUN also took part in counseling conscientious objectors during trial. It is expected that solidarity of non-governmental organizations will be made in large scale for dealing with the issue of conscientious objection to military service.
7. In December 2001, Mr Taeyang Oh, a 26-year-old Buddhist and pacifist, determined that he would not report for duty of military service to conscription office according to his conscience. He is first conscientious objector outside the Jehovah's Witness. He says that Buddhism teaches that all living beings fear death. Harming or killing another person in war, or learning to use guns would violate his religious and moral beliefs. It is presumed that Mr Oh will soon be arrested in violation of the Military Service Law, and indicted by prosecutor like Jehovah's Witnesses. The case of Mr Oh clearly shows that the issue of conscientious objection to military service is not any more limited to matter of only Jehovah's Witnesses. Sooner or later more people will determine that they are conscientious objectors to military service, as following an example of Mr Oh. Certainly, there will be more victims of conscientious objectors, if Korean government maintains present military service system.
8. In this connection, MINBYUN sincerely suggest that the UN Commission on Human Rights be well informed of exact situation on conscientious objection to military service in Korea, and that the UN Commission on Human Rights require to Korean government to report whether Korean government has reexamined legal system in relation to the issue of conscientious objection to military service so as to follow the UN resolutions and comment which have repeatedly recognized it as fundamental human right, and what Korean government will do in order to concretize such UN resolution and comment in near future. Apart from this, MINBYUN strongly hope that the UN Commission on Human Rights will recommend Korean government immediately stop from punishing the conscientious objectors as criminals and prepare a special measure to release conscientious objectors. Even before release, to the prisoners of conscientious objectors, reasonable parole should be admitted as soon as possible, and they should be able to have a religious meeting during imprisonment without any discrimination. Also MINBYUN expect that as one of measures for solving the issue of conscientious objection to military service, Korean government should newly legalize conscientious objection to military service as human right and introduce alternative system so that the conscientious objectors may not be punished as criminals. This change of policy will greatly and drastically contribute to democracy in Korean society, and will be in accordance with the policy of national defense in real meaning.
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