Saturday, May 22
Jehovah's Witnesses avoid military jail- for now
Three Jehovah's Witnesses have had charges of violating military law by refusing compulsory military service in the South Korean military have had the charges dismissed by the Seoul Southern District Court.
In reaching a verdict the court claimed that the number of conscientious objectors is so small as to not pose a threat to national security by allowing them a military service exemption.
Also taken into consideration was the fact that Korea signed the United Nations-adopted International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)in 1990, and it states in Article 18 that people are not to be bound by any restrictions that would infringe upon their right to have their own beliefs. The human rights commission of the U.N. Economic and Social Council, of which Korea is member has also made comments in military service.
It was the view of the Court that it would contravene UN rulings to jail the men.
It is the first time a Korean court has ruled in favor of conscientious objectors, and the military is not pleased. Over 10,000 Korean men have been jailed in the past for refusing to perform their National Service, which requires 2 years in the military.
The Military Manpower Administration, in charge of conscripts, was decidedly alarmist over the ruling claiming:
``If we accept the conscientious rejection of military duty, the basis of mandatory military service will be dismantled and the existence of the nation will be threatened.''
The Administration is planning on appealing the ruling to the Constitutional Court, which is the Korean Supreme Court.
The ruling has stirred debate on the issue of compulsory military service, in a country with a 600,000 man strong military.
Civic groups around the country are arguing the issue, with some of the more conservative groups fuming over the ruling.
One group called Advocates for the Constitution, said it expected the Supreme Court to overturn the lower court's decision since there was no alternative form of civil service to substitute for mandatory military duties.
"Is it reasonable for subjective motives, such as conscience, for refusal to serve military duties to be allowed under the Constitution?" asked a group spokesman in a telephone interview. "In that case, who would like to volunteer to serve the military?"
This is an issue that is sure to come up again in the near future, so stay tuned for more.
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In reaching a verdict the court claimed that the number of conscientious objectors is so small as to not pose a threat to national security by allowing them a military service exemption.
Also taken into consideration was the fact that Korea signed the United Nations-adopted International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)in 1990, and it states in Article 18 that people are not to be bound by any restrictions that would infringe upon their right to have their own beliefs. The human rights commission of the U.N. Economic and Social Council, of which Korea is member has also made comments in military service.
It was the view of the Court that it would contravene UN rulings to jail the men.
It is the first time a Korean court has ruled in favor of conscientious objectors, and the military is not pleased. Over 10,000 Korean men have been jailed in the past for refusing to perform their National Service, which requires 2 years in the military.
The Military Manpower Administration, in charge of conscripts, was decidedly alarmist over the ruling claiming:
``If we accept the conscientious rejection of military duty, the basis of mandatory military service will be dismantled and the existence of the nation will be threatened.''
The Administration is planning on appealing the ruling to the Constitutional Court, which is the Korean Supreme Court.
The ruling has stirred debate on the issue of compulsory military service, in a country with a 600,000 man strong military.
Civic groups around the country are arguing the issue, with some of the more conservative groups fuming over the ruling.
One group called Advocates for the Constitution, said it expected the Supreme Court to overturn the lower court's decision since there was no alternative form of civil service to substitute for mandatory military duties.
"Is it reasonable for subjective motives, such as conscience, for refusal to serve military duties to be allowed under the Constitution?" asked a group spokesman in a telephone interview. "In that case, who would like to volunteer to serve the military?"
This is an issue that is sure to come up again in the near future, so stay tuned for more.
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Seoul to defend itself
The news that the US is deploying 3600 Korean based troops has lead to the announcement that the Korean government is going to use an extra 2,400,000,000,000 won (US$2 billion) to build up Korea's defenses in areas that it has been lacking in- such as intelligence and plans of operations, according to the Korean National Security Council.
One assumes that these have been functions that the US military has been performing.
The US troop movement is about 10% of the number of troops they have stationed here, and their removal had led to the Korean government increasing the military budget by $2 billion. If the other 90% were to be redeployed out of Korea, then one could take that sum further, and say that the government would have to spend an extra $18 billion on top of that to replace the US troops and equipment. This is an increase that the Korean government can ill afford- what with paying for a new capital city and all.
The govenment said that the move was:
an effort to realize a perfect partnership in a changing international environment.
This is the partnership that is so prefect that the President campaigned on changing it, because Korea is treated unequally by the US. Does the Korean President now claim that being unequally treated by the US is the basis for a perfect partnership? Or just a perfectly affordable one?
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One assumes that these have been functions that the US military has been performing.
The US troop movement is about 10% of the number of troops they have stationed here, and their removal had led to the Korean government increasing the military budget by $2 billion. If the other 90% were to be redeployed out of Korea, then one could take that sum further, and say that the government would have to spend an extra $18 billion on top of that to replace the US troops and equipment. This is an increase that the Korean government can ill afford- what with paying for a new capital city and all.
The govenment said that the move was:
an effort to realize a perfect partnership in a changing international environment.
This is the partnership that is so prefect that the President campaigned on changing it, because Korea is treated unequally by the US. Does the Korean President now claim that being unequally treated by the US is the basis for a perfect partnership? Or just a perfectly affordable one?
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Soaring bankruptcies
The number of personal bankruptcies in Korea has soared this year-with the number in the first quarter already at 47% of the total for last year. A large number of those 90% have total debts of less than 100,000,00 won (US$83,000), meaning that most of the applicants are lower and middle class debtors.
Linked with the increase, there are more credit card defaulters than ever, with 3.63 million Koreans defaulting on their credit cards in March. That is over 10% of the adult population of the country! Credit card defaulters are becoming a serious problem in Korea, with many using one credit card to pay another. This was the cause of debt for half of the personal bankruptcy applicants.
The level of household debt is now so high to be effecting the economy, as spending slows.
Handing out credit card applications on the street, with free gifts might be one of the problems, as is the fact that there is an income tax deduction for credit card spending- obviously a budget measure dreamed up by the folks at VISA.
The development of K-merce in Korea, where-by cell phones are used to make payments for things from vending machines to the cinema, department store and supermarket mean that cell phone bills are getting higher and higher. I think that the in the not too distant future there are going to be a lot of teenagers with phone bills that are just unserviceable, and when the collection agency come knocking....
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Linked with the increase, there are more credit card defaulters than ever, with 3.63 million Koreans defaulting on their credit cards in March. That is over 10% of the adult population of the country! Credit card defaulters are becoming a serious problem in Korea, with many using one credit card to pay another. This was the cause of debt for half of the personal bankruptcy applicants.
The level of household debt is now so high to be effecting the economy, as spending slows.
Handing out credit card applications on the street, with free gifts might be one of the problems, as is the fact that there is an income tax deduction for credit card spending- obviously a budget measure dreamed up by the folks at VISA.
The development of K-merce in Korea, where-by cell phones are used to make payments for things from vending machines to the cinema, department store and supermarket mean that cell phone bills are getting higher and higher. I think that the in the not too distant future there are going to be a lot of teenagers with phone bills that are just unserviceable, and when the collection agency come knocking....
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Former activist sees the light
Go Jin-hwa was one of the leaders of the student occupation of the US Cultural Centre in Seoul in May 1985. The students claimed that the US government was behind the crackdown on democracy activists in the city of Gwangju in 1980, that left 200 dead. Go spent 2 and a half years in jail for his role in the illegal occupation.
He was elected to the National Assembly in the April elections. However, there is a happy side to this story- he is not an anti-US crusader, running on a platform to get the US out of the country, or exploiting the general anti-US sentiment that is surging though out the country. He is a member of the pro-US GNP opposition, and said in an interview with the Korea Herald:
"Korea's alliance with the United States is extremely vital as the country acts as a bridge linking Korea to other countries,"
His change of heart came when he went to Washington in the mid 1990's and found that people there respected his role in the democracy movement in Korea. Saying:
"I was taken aback by how the country placed great respect on my past democratic movements."
The parliament needs more men and women like Go.
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He was elected to the National Assembly in the April elections. However, there is a happy side to this story- he is not an anti-US crusader, running on a platform to get the US out of the country, or exploiting the general anti-US sentiment that is surging though out the country. He is a member of the pro-US GNP opposition, and said in an interview with the Korea Herald:
"Korea's alliance with the United States is extremely vital as the country acts as a bridge linking Korea to other countries,"
His change of heart came when he went to Washington in the mid 1990's and found that people there respected his role in the democracy movement in Korea. Saying:
"I was taken aback by how the country placed great respect on my past democratic movements."
The parliament needs more men and women like Go.
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New administrative capital coming soon
One of the major planks in the Roh campaign from the Presidential election is falling into place- the construction of a new capital city for Korea. Seoul is set to loose its place as the capital, to be replaced by one of the three short listed sites- Osong, Nonsan-Kaeryong or Changgi.
The plan is that Roh will break ground on the new capital in 2007, at the end of his administration.
Roh claims that the development of a new capital city will help balance regional economies- but most people are lukewarm on the idea- especially those who have property in the Greater Seoul area, which has a population of over 10 million.
A cynic might think that this an ego trip, and attack on Seoul property developers, by the President, who is from the far south of a country where regionalism is rife.
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The plan is that Roh will break ground on the new capital in 2007, at the end of his administration.
Roh claims that the development of a new capital city will help balance regional economies- but most people are lukewarm on the idea- especially those who have property in the Greater Seoul area, which has a population of over 10 million.
A cynic might think that this an ego trip, and attack on Seoul property developers, by the President, who is from the far south of a country where regionalism is rife.
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Wednesday, May 19
Foreign ministry under attack
The news that the US will redeploy some 3600 troops from Korea to Iraq has gotten the Korean government and media into a spin.
It seems that they don't know which way to turn- many who wanted the US to pull troops out of Korea are now worried that it may actually happen- it seems some like to tell the US to get out, but don't want them to take that advice.
It seems that the US informed the Koreans of the move on Friday last week, when Roh was officially reinstated to office, and as they are US troops, it was given as an already made decision. It was leaked to a local paper on Monday, so the Foreign Ministry said talks were underway in regards to the issue. That was a lie- the US had already finalized its plans.
The Ministry is now underfire for 'failing to influence matters that are of significance'. There is now a fear of a security vacuum in Korea- with the Koreans still pledging to send 3600 Korean troops to Iraq at some point.
Many fear that the US redeployment is the first stage in a permanent reduction in troops in Korea.
Isn't that what was wanted all along?
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It seems that they don't know which way to turn- many who wanted the US to pull troops out of Korea are now worried that it may actually happen- it seems some like to tell the US to get out, but don't want them to take that advice.
It seems that the US informed the Koreans of the move on Friday last week, when Roh was officially reinstated to office, and as they are US troops, it was given as an already made decision. It was leaked to a local paper on Monday, so the Foreign Ministry said talks were underway in regards to the issue. That was a lie- the US had already finalized its plans.
The Ministry is now underfire for 'failing to influence matters that are of significance'. There is now a fear of a security vacuum in Korea- with the Koreans still pledging to send 3600 Korean troops to Iraq at some point.
Many fear that the US redeployment is the first stage in a permanent reduction in troops in Korea.
Isn't that what was wanted all along?
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Uri presses for press reform
The recently victorious Uri Party has its sights set on the Korean press sector. The party is drafting a bill to limit the market share of individual newspapers to 30% of a region- though how this will be enforced is not clear.
In a further blow to the media firms the amount of advertising space will also be regulated- with no more than 50% of space in the dailies to be advertising. If they carry more than this they will be classed as junk mail or advertisement papers, and lose the current tax exemption that newspapers have here.
The move will be opposed by the GNP and most media outlets in the country- but URI now have a majority in the House, so there is nothing to stop the passage of the bill.
Aren't media restrictions the first move towards a dicatorship?
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In a further blow to the media firms the amount of advertising space will also be regulated- with no more than 50% of space in the dailies to be advertising. If they carry more than this they will be classed as junk mail or advertisement papers, and lose the current tax exemption that newspapers have here.
The move will be opposed by the GNP and most media outlets in the country- but URI now have a majority in the House, so there is nothing to stop the passage of the bill.
Aren't media restrictions the first move towards a dicatorship?
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Sunday, May 16
North Korea to start online mall
In one of the strangest stories I've seen in a while, the Korea Times reports that North Korea is planning to start an online shopping mall, in an apparent effort to earn hard currency.
There is no word as to the goods to be sold- perhaps long range missiles, illegal drugs or counterfeit currency?
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There is no word as to the goods to be sold- perhaps long range missiles, illegal drugs or counterfeit currency?
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