NCC-Korea Calls for Restraint, Peace Negotiations among Power wielders in the Korean Peninsula

STATEMENT

The National Council of Churches of Korea

A Call to Prayer over the Yeonpyeong Island Incident

Yet again, only months after the sinking of a South Korean warship, Choenan, the fragile peace along the dividing line between the two Koreas has been broken. The exchange of fire on Yeonpyeong on 23 November has lead to the deaths of two civilians and two marines. Eighteen more people were injured and a number of homes were destroyed in and on this small island that lies only seven miles from the North Korean border and fifty miles from the densely populated Southern port city of Inchon. The fighting and the mass exodus of residents from the island that is home to a fishing community and military bases is all too reminiscent of the Korean War that inflicted pain on the Korean people that none can forget. The National Council of Churches in Korea mourns with the surviving victims and the families of those whose lives were so senselessly taken. It deplores the North Korean military for using powerful weapons against the civilian community in the most serious incident since the signing of the Armistice in 1953.

Yet again the Peninsula and its people are gripped by the fear of an escalation of ideologically-inspired violence. In its 1988 Inchon Consultation Statement on Peace and Justice, as the NCCK we said to the nation that our country sits at the apex of hegemonic competition and diplomatic and military brinkmanship. Yet again, we in the South are reminded of the fragility of our nation’s booming prosperity and of the starkly contradictory widespread poverty of the North. And once more this border clash comes in the context of joint US and South Korean naval exercises off the coast and “war games” on the Peninsula. NCCK challenges the governments of South Korea, USA and Japan to refrain from upgrading these joint military exercises under an umbrella of the USA’s respective “security alliances” because they appear to have provoked North Korea and led to its strong reaction.

As we have so often repeated in the past, these exercises of political and military brinksmanship serve no purpose other than to escalate tensions in Korea and to threaten the peace in the whole Northeast Asian region. The presence of a great number of nuclear weapons on land and on the surrounding seas makes Korea a tinderbox that threatens the peace of the whole world.

We therefore call on the ecumenical family to pray for peace in our land and to urge all governments to exercise caution, to refrain from further inflaming the political atmosphere and to exercise the maximum restraint so that reason and diplomacy can prevail over narrow self-serving military, strategic or political interests. The fundamental interests of the people must prevail: mutual respect and peace with justice for all.

We also appeal to all nations to reject any attempt to cheapen life by treating Korea as a pawn in diplomatic gamesmanship, while ignoring the welfare of the people.

For nearly three decades, the NCCK and the global ecumenical fellowship have worked together to these ends. We have slowly built bridges and established regular, productive contact with the Korean Christians Federation in the North and we have shared our common prayers for peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula with the global fellowship of Christian churches through the World Council of Churches. We have sought to provide a model that governments, politicians and diplomats might follow, and we have therefore rejoiced at the successes of the two Inter-Korean summits of June 13-15, 2000 between President Kim Dae-jung and Chairman Kim Jong Il and of October 2-4, 2007 between President Roh Moon-hyun and Chairman Kim Jong Il. We are convinced that they provide a good basis and framework for the two sides to work together towards a shared future.

On 15 August this year, the NCCK, the KCF and churches in other parts of the world simultaneously prayed for peace and the reunification of Korea, using in part the following words: “We pray that mistrust and confrontation between the North and the South should die down, mutual trust should be built up through reconciliation, cooperation and exchanges. The June 15 unification mood that we have all enjoyed should be revived in full blossom, and therefore the warm atmosphere of unification should blow its way through all this peninsula.”
Given the current tensions, the NCCK further notes these important commitments in the October 2007 summit peace declaration:

1. South and North Korea committed themselves to work for mutual respect and trust in order to overcome differences in ideology, and system.

2. South and North Korea committed themselves to ease military tensions, hold ministerial defense talks in November in Pyongyang to discuss this and inter-Korean economic cooperation.

3. The two sides agreed on the need to end the current armistice and establish permanent peace.

4. The two sides agreed to create a special peace zone around Haeju in North Korea and nearby areas.

5. South and North Korea committed themselves to promote humanitarian cooperation and expansion of the reunions of separated families.

The tragic events in recent days underscore the importance of pursuing this course. We urge the parties to the stalled Six-Party Talks to follow this same path, to cease exploiting the divisions and differences and to put the welfare of the people at the center of their concern. The situation must not be allowed to deteriorate further and all military actions or retaliation must be avoided we urge all our partners to pray for peace on the Korean Peninsula. We would welcome our partner councils and ecumenical organizations to support us also by urging all governments to work together to help resolve the dangerous crisis through diplomacy and peaceful means.

The World Council of Churches has repeatedly asserted that the future of the Korean Peninsula is ultimately to be determined by the Korean people. We shall fulfill this calling despite the challenges and obstacles because we believe that God is faithful and will perform mighty acts on our land. We are immensely grateful for the solidarity, prayers and support of the churches around the world. We give thanks to God for you.

Seoul, 26 November 2010

Prayer for office morning devotion-Monday, October 25, 2010

Scripture Reading from Job chapter 7

Prayer:
God of compassion,
We thank you for this brand new day.
We welcome this new autumn day with great expectations and hopes.
There are times in our lives when we are like Job,
not only afflicted by physical pains, but also by desperation.
We ask too many questions, but oftentimes these could not come out of our lips.
They remain deep in our minds, waiting for the right moment to be heard.
With your compassion, you uphold us, you sustain us, lest we will drift further away from you.
At this time, we remember in our prayers those who are homeless, hungry and suffering in many countries visited by typhoons and storms, diseases, famine and violation of the sanctity of life.
May we, like Jesus extend our compassion to them.
As we face a new working week, help us to be alert,
giving our best and attention to details
Data and feelings really matter because you do not take for granted who we are.
We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Transformer. Amen.

Life in the Underside of Korean Society

I LOVE KOREA
A Summer Youth Event of the Council for World Mission
June 30-July 10, 2010
Seoul, Korea

Seminar Life 1: Life in the Underside of Society
Presenter/Facilitator: Frank J. Hernando
June 2, 2010
Time Allotment: 1 hour

Objectives:
At the session, participants are able to:
•familiarize with life from the underside of Korean society
•characterize life of the marginalized people in contemporary Korean society
•present the synthesis of life from the underside

1. TREND-SETTING
Processes: This part is good for 15 minutes. The facilitator will give a brief background on what he has set out to do together with the participants especially the time allotment for this topic and the expected output. The question that participants will answer is, “What do you know about life from the underside in Korea?” Participants will share their answers while the facilitator will write the answers on the board. Then the brief clarification and discussion will follow. The trend setting of the quality of life of people on the underside or underdogs of society will be used for the anchoring of ideas shared.

2. ANCHORING
Processes: This part is good for 25 minutes. The ideas shared in the trend setting will be included in this portion. The facilitator gives 25 minutes guided talk using a power point presentation and some video clips.

Presentation: “Life in the Underside of Korean society”

Introduction
There are many external manifestations of the kind of life people live in a particular society. These can be seen in the kind of outfit/clothes people wear, the things they own and use e.g. cell phones, computers, and other electronic gadgets, the houses where people live, the number of automobiles, buildings and transportation systems. South Korea is characteristically an economically well-off society in terms of the amount of income people earn, the extent and spectrum of social services afforded to people. The quality of life in this society is also measured in terms of longevity or life expectancy which in South Korea the overall is 78.8, for males 75 and females at 82.2 years. However, even with the given life expectancy, there is an uneven economic, social and political opportunities for the ordinary citizens of the country. This is brought about by the neo-liberal market driven economy and growth driven government political priorities, which forced segments or sectors of society to live at the fringes of society.

a) The neo-liberal capitalist globalization and its impact on the quality of life
Many people in South Korea brag about the rapid industrialization economic development in the country for less than three decades beginning in the late 80’s. It has been observed that rapid industrialization was prompted by the authoritarian regimes that encouraged every home a factory and the unwavering persistent prayers and unwavering faith of the Christians. These can be considered contributory factors, but not the only factors. Within context of neo-liberal market driven economy or known as economic globalization, highly industrialized capitalist countries had made possible the free-flow of capital to other countries, expansion of global clout of transnational banks and corporations and the geo-political and military influence in many parts of the world.

With all these combination of factors, the South Korean government carried out a currency reform, strengthened financial institutions, and introduced flexible economic planning. In the 1970s Korea began directing fiscal and financial policies toward promoting heavy and chemical industries, consumer electronics, and automobiles. Manufacturing continued to grow rapidly in the 1980s and early 1990s. In the late 1990s to early 2000s South Korea had consistently had huge foreign direct investments ranging from 6-8 billion dollars. The import-export driven economy depended on mostly US and Japan and later China as destinations of its export products.

During the 1997-98 financial downturn caused by International Monetary Fund (IMF) policies there was the slowing of global economy and falling exports slowed growth to 3.3% in 2001, prompting consumer stimulus measures that led to 7.0% growth in 2002. Consumer over-shopping and rising household debt, along with external factors, slowed growth to near 3% again in 2003. Economic performance in 2004 improved to 4.6% due to an increase in exports, and remained at or above 4% in 2005, 2006, and 2007. With the onset of the global financial and economic crisis in the third quarter of 2008, annual GDP growth slowed to 2.3% in 2008 and just 0.2% in 2009.

The basic contradictions in the neo-liberal market driven economy are mostly based on overproduction of goods but with constricting global markets, the stiff competition among industrialized countries for market of similar or the same finished products has affected many countries and their peoples. The main goal of the neo-liberal capitalist economic system is to gain super profits. Because of this many countries have to undergird their economic and political systems with the prescribed ethos and mechanisms used by countries under such system. In the early 1990s new vocabularies emerged like trade liberalization, deregulation, privatization and labour market flexibility which are characterized by people’s movements as the evils of the neo-liberal capitalist market economy.

Trade Liberalization is the removal of or reduction in the trade practices that thwart free flow of goods and services from one nation to another. It includes dismantling of tariff (such as duties, surcharges, and export subsidies) as well as non-tariff barriers (such as licensing regulations, quotas, and arbitrary standards). Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces. Deregulation does not mean elimination of laws against fraud, but eliminating or reducing government control of how business is done, thereby moving toward a more free market. Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector (government) to the private sector ("business"). In a broader sense, privatization refers to transfer of any government function to the private sector - including governmental functions like revenue collection and law enforcement. The term "privatization" also has been used to describe two unrelated transactions. The first is a buyout, by the majority owner, of all shares of a public corporation or holding company's stock, privatizing a publicly traded stock, and often described as private equity. The second is a demutualization of a mutual organization or cooperative to form a joint stock company.

Labour market flexibility. In the past, the most common definition of labour market flexibility was the neo-liberal definition. This entailed the ease of labour market institutions in enabling labour markets to reach a continuous equilibrium determined by the intersection of the demand and supply curve. In the words of Siebert labour market institutions were seen to inhibit "the clearing functions of the market by weakening the demand for labor, making it less attractive to hire a worker by explicitly pushing up the wage costs or by introducing a negative shadow price for labor; by distorting the labor supply; and by impairing the equilibrating function of the market mechanism (for instance, by influencing bargaining behavior).”

These prescribed ethos and mechanism of the neo-liberal capitalist market driven economic system enable governments and national and transnational corporations to reduce tariffs on all imported products and in some cases governments offer tax holidays to investors. Labourers are losing job security and social security benefits, unionized labour lost their genuine bargaining power and many other adverse effects on the life of the people. The worst that can happen to labourers is to be unemployed or opt to become irregular/contractual workers. Although at the surface we can see manifestations of improved quality of life among South Koreans, but digging deeper into the social structure we can see glaring evidences of oppression, exploitation and misery especially of those at the bottom of the social structure.

b) Life of people at the margins of society and their resistance

Irregular workers
There are many ways to view quality of life in society, but what will be focused here is on job security or job tenure as a means of sustainable life; adequate social services like access to affordable housing facility and health care, affordable education for children and youth; respect for rights and equity of women, refugees and migrants and other marginalized sectors of society. To elucidate on these let me share some short stories of persons who were caught into different incidents situations that presents the tip of the social realities of people living in the fringes of society. Irregular employment has become a common situation for many people in the country. More than eight million (8,000,000+) Koreans are having irregular employment. Through this labor arrangement companies are allowed to hire people on a temporary basis for not less than two years. Thereafter workers can either be given regular or permanent jobs or are terminated. The irregular workers have suffered a lot due to low wages and lack of health and social security benefits.

The story of the workers of Kiryung Electronics in the district of Guru, Seoul showed that for 1,080 days had their hunger strike protesting against the illegal termination as irregular workers. There were 250 workers who first staged the strike against this company for more than three years (2005-2008) for the main reason that before their employment contract ended they were terminated, an act opted by both local and international companies of not making temporary workers become regular workers. In August 2008 there were only thirty five (35) remaining workers on strike and the two (2) remaining workers were on hunger strike for more than seventy days (70) and were in danger of losing their lives for the just cause they’ve been struggling for--- a regular job at Kiryung Electronics Company. The Kiryung labour union made representation to the mother company in the United States but nobody from Sirius Electronics Company ever tried to meet them.

Unemployed youth
The Korean youth employment rate was 27%, which was much lower in comparison to other OECD member countries in 2007. The average youth employment rate of OECD member countries was 46%, so the 19% difference in the employment rate of Korean youth is alarming. The number of Korean employees under 30 years old is also decreasing. Job seekers from 15 to 19 years old accounted for 48,000 in the unemployment statistics and ages 20 to 29 accounted for 133,000. These statistics in November 2008 shows that the youth unemployment rate for these ages is higher than any other age groups.

The National Statistical Office (NSO) in January 6, 2010 estimated that 810,000 people are counted as formally unemployed and the number of people who are “effectively unemployed” is being calculated at some 3.3 million. Furthermore the NSO claimed that the 819,000 people who are counted as unemployed as of Nov. 2009 represent an increase of 69,000 from the year before. In addition to the formally unemployed, there is another 2.474 million people who belong to the category of the effectively unemployed, including 561,000 students preparing for employment. With this data at hand, the government could not prioritize through legislation the employment of youth. The unreasonable demand of big corporations for appropriate skills for employment entrants has been too much for the youth to comply with. Even with the government’s youth internship program, many young people are doubly burdened with the cost of additional training they have to shoulder just to land a job. College graduates who would want immediate employment opted to get into irregular employment or get into internship program instead of waiting for regular jobs to come their way. The training aspect or the so called on-the-job training is getting unpopular in society. Less money is spent by employers for training the youth while holding regular jobs.

Dislocated residents and urban poor people
The rapid industrialization in South Korea has resulted in urbanization and redevelopment plan especially in Seoul Metropolitan City. For more than two decades now, the government had been aggressively relocating residential areas to give way to high rise apartment buildings, corporate offices, shopping malls, and others. Development aggression is a continuing experience to so many people especially among the low-income Seoul City residents. In a contested redevelopment project in Yongsan District, low income dwellers resisted demolition of their homes and fought hard to maintain their homes and livelihood in the area. But police power was used to stop their opposition.

Six lives were lost, five protesting residents of Yongsan District and a policeman in the height of fierce resistance against Seoul City’s redevelopment plan on January 20, 2009. On July 20, six months after, the residents of Yongsan commemorated the demise of the five residents. Their bodies were brought to a place near the Seoul City Hall for people to pay their last respects and to remind the Lee Myung-Bak government that justice has not been met out for the five demised Yongsan protesters. It can be recalled that in the early morning of January 20, 2009 an empty building in Yongsan area, central Seoul, was occupied by some 50 protesters who had been forcibly thrown out of their living places under yet one more redevelopment project. They occupied the building to bring their desperate situation to public’s attention and to oppose the brutal urban redevelopment projects of the large companies favored by the government. But three and a half hours after their initial occupation of the building, the government deployed 1,600 policemen, riot teams and even police commandos and positioned four water-cannon vehicles around the building for round-up arrest operation.

Without negotiation and without mercy, treating the protesters as outlaws the police began to violently disperse the protesters. In the course of the violent action by the police and the protesters’ fierce resistance, fire suddenly blazed in the building. In the end five protesters and a policeman died and a number of people were injured. Since the building was heavily guarded by hundreds of police, nobody could escape the building. Just nineteen days after the accident, the prosecution announced the result of the investigation, blaming the protesters for the tragic deaths; the prosecutor’s office indicted 20 protesters for causing the fire and hurting police officers. Soon after the prosecution’s decision was released, many civilians, NGOs and religious groups including the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) and the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK) urged the government to re-investigate the case, reveal the truth, and heal the pain of the victim families. The remains of the victims were finally interred late last year but the scars of the fateful night of violent clash with the police operatives on the rooftop of that building left an indelible mark in the hearts and minds of the families of victims and the society.

Migrant workers
Another situation is the increasing number of foreign migrant workers from many countries in Asia such as China, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Mongolia and others. It is estimated that not less than 600,000 foreign workers are in the country out of the more than one million foreign population. Migrant workers came to the country in early 1990’s to seek employment in the 3D jobs (dirty, difficult, dangerous). The government’s labor ministry had introduced the trainee system that allowed small and medium scale factories to hire unskilled foreign workers and were considered trainees who should acquire particular skills.

Due to the exploitative scheme of the trainee system and it increased the number of undocumented migrant workers, the Employment Permit System (EPS) was introduced in 2004 to replace the trainee system. Most migrant workers work for long hours averaging from 10-12 hours a day. Their salaries are pegged at the minimum wage ranging from 800-900 thousand won per month, and there are those who do not have regular day-off, or vacation leave. The migrant workers human rights are often violated by their employers and supervisors and even by their Korean co-workers.

Churches and NGOs have established migrant workers center to provide social services and protect the rights of migrant workers. Recently the Ministry of Justice through the Bureau of Immigration issued a memo on voluntary departure of undocumented migrant workers enticing them for possible return to South Korea after 3 three years. In a similar vein, the National Police Agency also issued a memo on intensified clampdown on migrant workers for the purpose of eradicating crimes committed by foreigners and in view of the preparation for the hosting of G-20 Summit in November 2010. Several hundreds of migrant workers have already been deported since last month. The clampdown, criminalization and deportation scheme of the government has been meet consistently by various migrant workers organizations, trade unions and supporters with undulating protests actions such as demonstrations at immigration offices, signature campaigns, and other forms.

Marriage migrants
Anent this is the growing number of women marriage migrants who have come to the country and married Korean men. This is a phenomenon that came out of the depopulation of rural areas, the fast ageing population and the low birthrates for the last two decades. The claimed homogenous Korean ethnicity is becoming a thing of the past because children from inter-marriage of Korean men and women marriage migrant are increasing. Women marriage migrants rights have been violated and mostly by immediate family members. This group in society needs protection of their rights and access to social services.

Solidarity for justice and peace
The stories of people in the underside of Korean society are testimonies of the growing economic, political, social and cultural divisions in society. However, the unquenchable flame of hope for a better life will sustain various forms of resistance people living in the underside of society have initiated in their communities and organizations. There is a high level of political consciousness among the marginalized people and their critical analysis of society and the global community has empowered them to resist the government’s oppressive policies. We can forge our solidarity with the marginalized people through the understanding of their concerns, issues, participate in their struggles and firm up the hope for a just and peaceful society and world.

CLARIFYING AND SYNTHESIZING
Processes: This part is for good for 20 minutes. Participants may ask clarifications on the presentation and will assist in the coming up with a synthesis/summary through new insights and perspectives of the life of people in the underside of South Korean society.

ECUMENICAL CHALLENGES TO THE 9TH UCCP GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Statement from International and Ecumenical Partners and
UCCP Mission Co-Workers

We thank the 9th Quadrennial General Assembly for the events and activities that have fed our faith. We value the themes of the General Assembly, because these are just as relevant to all of us as they are specifically to the UCCP. We commend UCCP for your human rights, justice and peace and environmental commitment, and to living out your faith in the Philippines context. We honour the memory of the many victims of human rights violations, and the courage of the UCCP for your integrity and living out the gospel in these difficult times.

We rejoice in being part of the worldwide body of Christ, and are very thankful for the hospitality and sharing during our time here in Dumaguete.

We wish to affirm the sources of your discernment – the Holy Scriptures, the UCCP Statement of Faith, prayer, and sensing the presence of the Holy Spirit as it guides and leads us.


LISTENING AND REFLECTING

We have reflected together in our groups, on the present ecological crisis in the Philippines and in the world, and also on the current human rights situation. These critical times are manifested in the continuing destruction of the environment, the plunder of the natural resources and the deepening poverty and militarisation directed against those who are simply affirming human dignity, and those who are resisting this neo-liberal globalisation.

There is serious divergence of understanding the mission of God in these critical days. However we affirm that we are all part of the same Body of Christ. The gospel calls us to work together – there is one faith, one baptism, one Lord and saviour of us all. We should all work together on pursuing the programs of the next Quadrennium. This calls us to seek the way forward together; to be in dialogue with each other and listen seriously to each other; and in every way to be at peace with each other.

To be obedient to God’s will is to persist in the discernment process, and allow the agenda of God to flow within the Church. We joyfully celebrate the working of the Holy Spirit even outside the institutionalized Church. Sometimes we do not know which direction the wind will blow, but we need to be a responsive Church; as the wind of the Spirit will blow where it will like “a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night”. The Spirit is always ahead of us and always knows the context in which we work the best of all.

CHALLENGES

We encourage you to continue to strengthen your programs for peace and justice, the protection of human rights; support of migrant workers; ecological justice and sustaining our ecumenical partnerships and solidarity.

Let us journey together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. There are things to let go of, and there are new things to embrace. We have confidence that God, who makes all things new and who is the giver of life in abundance, will continue to lead us all.



RECOMMENDATIONS

1. That UCCP continue to support those UCCP members and others, who are direct victims of human rights abuses.

2. That UCCP continue to support those members who face harassment, illegal arrest, abduction, and continue to live in fear.

3. That UCCP continues to campaign to stop the extra judicial killings in the Philippines.

4. That UCCP continues to do all it can to seek the unconditional release of the Morong 43.

5. That UCCP commits to continue to update it’s ecumenical partners on the human rights situation in the Philippines.

6. That UCCP seriously considers its own personal use of bio-degradable containers and packages. (Plastics and Styrofoam are immortal and infinite and cause pollution and pose health hazards. The use of plastics or the combination of plastic and aluminium packages for food and other products should be minimised).

7. That UCCP encourage the establishment of a nursery for tree seedling or wildlings in home, church yards and places which are made available for tree planting purposes.

8. That UCCP members consume healthy and locally produced farm products. (It has been observed that food served to General Assembly delegates are characteristic f the scarcity of locally grown vegetables and locally sourced marine products eg. fish and others)

9. That UCCP cease to consume Nestle products. (It has been observed that here in the General Assembly Nescafe instant coffee and creamer has been served as drink during meals, especially at breakfast and coffee break. In solidarity with the exploited and struggling Nestle workers, and the environment, and our own bodies.)

10. That UCCP sustain their advocacy for the abrogation of the Philippines Mining Act of 1995 to protect the national patrimony and support the people’s campaign against trans and multinational mining corporations.

11. That UCCP continue to advocate and support scientific research dealing with bio-diversity and sustainable alternatives for agricultural production of marginalized farmers.


Dated this 28th May, 2010


Ms. Jillian Linda Ruzbacky Rev. Rod Dyson
Uniting Church of Australia Uniting Church of Australia
Social Justice Officer & International Mission Unit Moderator, Synod of South Australia


Dr. Rommel Linatoc Ms. Rebecca Lawson
National Council of Churches in the Philippines PC-USA Mission Co-Worker with UCCP


Rev. Dakila Quezon Rev. Kim Yeo Jong
Iglesia Unida Ekumenikal PCK Missionaries Working With UCCP


Dr. Fidon Mwombeki Rev. Park Kwang Nam
United Evangelical Mission (UEM) PCK Missionaries Working With UCCP
General Secretary


Dr. Levi Oracion Ms. Miriam Flick
UCC- USA & Church of Christ (Disciples) UEM Ecumenical Intern


Ms. Krystal Sheremeta
Rev. Han Kyoung Gyun United Church of Canada Ecumenical Intern
Presbyterian Church of Korea
Mission Co- Worker to UCCP

Ms. Annika Sputh
UEM Ecumenical Intern


Rev. Kim Kwang Wook
PCK Missionaries Working With UCCP


Mr. Khethi Vanlalchuanga
Mizoram, India


Rev. Park Dong Kwon
PCK Missionaries Working With UCCP


Rev. Frank Hernando
UCCP Mission Co-Worker with PROK


Mr. Cobbie Palm
PC-USA Mission Co-Worker to UCCP


Rev. Gloria Hernando
UCCP Mission Co-Worker with PROK


Mr. Pastor Galang, Jr.
UCCP Mission Co-Worker with PCK


Rev. Frederick Carmelo
UCCP Mission Co-Worker with PCK


Rev. Cesar Taguba
Europe


Rev. Rannieh Mercado
UCCP Mission Co-Worker with UEM


Rev. Chung Hae Dong
PROK Mission Co-Worker with UCCP



Rev. Bae Tae-Jin
Presbyerian Church of the Rep[ublic of Korea
General Secretary

STOP CRACKDOWN OF MIGRANT WORKERS IN SOUTH KOREA

STOP CRIMINALIZATION, CRACKDOWN AND REPRESSION OF MIGRANT WORKERS!

The Unity of Filipino Migrant Workers in Korea or KASAMMAKO denounces the criminalization, intensified crackdown and repression of migrant workers in South Korea. The Korean government has used the visa status of migrant workers especially the undocumented migrant workers as a scapegoat in launching the anti-terrorism campaign in view of the government’s hosting of the G-20 Summit in November this year. There had been a mapping of areas where migrant workers live and work and the immigration police have raided many factories, carrying with them search warrants for identified factories.

As of May 16, there were already thirty two (32) Filipino migrant workers nabbed by the Immigration police last week few days after the Ministry of Justice announced the conduct intensified crackdown on May 4, 2010. The Filipino migrant workers are among the hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrant workers which are target of cleaning-up of criminals in the country, a xenophobic response that violates the fundamental human rights of migrant workers and all foreigners working and living in the country. Migrant workers of coloured race are doubly prejudiced because they can be easily identified such as the South and Southeast Asians, Africans and Chinese are the targets of the crackdown, in comparison to the fair skinned Caucasians from North America, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The National Police Agency on May 4, 2010 announced through a press statement that they have also started the "G-20 Preemptive Response" beginning May 2nd. They have stated that as the foreign population increases in the country so do the crime rate committed by foreigners. The National Police Agency has started the conduct of special investigations in areas where there is a high concentration of foreigners. The investigation will continue for fifty days (50) on the national level while for Seoul region the investigation will be for two weeks.

Since majority of the foreign population in Seoul metropolitan area are 75% Chinese. It is founded that the target for arrests are primarily these ethnic groups. Areas specific to one nationality are classified as target areas such as the following: the Chinese in Yeoungdungpo, Guro and Guemcheon areas, Mongolians in Junggu specifically the Mongolian town in Gwanghuidong; the Vietnamese in Seongdonggu, Geumcheongu and Seongbukgu; Russians and Uzbeks in Junggu, especially the Russian Street in Gwanghuidong. Finally, the Nigerians in Yongsan and Itaewon.

According to their press release the target of their investigation and eventual deportation are the following: foreigners who are suspects in a crime; foreigners who are in possession of deadly weapons (e.g. knives, etc.); foreigners who have pending arrest warrants; sex workers and their costumers and the undocumented migrant workers. The statement as well disclosed that raids on houses and work places of foreigners would be done both day and night in identified areas as well as random street checking of the foreign nationals.

Although the government through the Ministry of Justice has advertised that the period of intensified crackdown on undocumented migrant workers and foreigners will begin on June 1st and will last until August 31, 2010, several hundreds of migrant workers have already been arrested and waiting for deportation to their home countries. The enticement of the government for voluntary departure comprise of these: all migrant workers who voluntarily leave Korea within this period will not be penalized for overstaying and will be exempted from a 5-year immigration ban in Korea. They will be able to take the Korean language test and reapply for work in Korea through the Employment Permit System (EPS). The employers are also encouraged to surrender their undocumented workers so that they can be exempted from paying the fine of up to 20 million won. They will also be able to hire EPS workers that would replace their lost manpower.

KASAMMAKO calls on President Lee Myung-Bak to immediately STOP THE CRACKDOWN on migrant workers. The continuance of this immigration strategy is a violation of the United Nations International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. It will further alienate South Korea from the migrant workers who have contributed in sustaining the economic development of the country. It will also aggravate the condition of the weakening productivity of the small and medium scale enterprises.

We denounce the militarist approach of resolving labour and immigration issues. Migrant workers regardless of their visa status have been working in the country as productive forces and have been contributing to the national economic development, but they are treated with suspicion as common criminals and are racially discriminated. The use of police power to reduce the number of undocumented migrant workers and foreigners in preparation for the G-20 Summit in Korea would widen the racial divide and will intensify xenophobia among Korean citizens and will result in racial motivated conflicts.

KASAMMAKO demands for the legalization of undocumented migrant workers. The increase of number of undocumented migrant workers is consequent of the faulty labor Employment Permit System (EPS). The EPS must be change to new labor arrangement that would ensure the respect of rights of migrants and equal protection under the law.

We call on the Philippine government especially the Philippine Embassy in Seoul to actively monitor the every detention center around the country for Filipino migrant workers processed for deportation in need of assistance such the speedy issuance of travel documents, provide shelter and basic subsistence for those who are forced to leave their jobs for fear of their employers of possible penalty for hiring them.

We call on all migrant workers network, concerned institutions, and individuals around the world to similarly denounce this ongoing crackdown, criminalization and repression of migrant workers and foreigners in South Korea.


MR. POL PAR
Chairperson
KASAMMAKO
Seoul, South Korea

Overseas Absentee Voting Partial Result from Seoul, Korea

PHILIPPINE MAY 10, 2010 NATIONAL ELECTIONS
OVERSEAS ABSENTEE VOTING
Seoul, South Korea

1.The Overseas Absentee Voting started on April 10 to May 10, 2010.

2.There is an estimate of more than 10,000 registered voters out of over 60,000 Filipinos in South mostly migrant workers and several thousands of marriage migrants.

3.The turn-out of voters is only 1,298 out of the over 10,000 registered voters scattered all over the country.

4.The figures collected were taken from the canvass of votes from the three voting precincts 1, 2, and 3 at the Philippine Embassy where the OAV was conducted.
5.Voters came to the Philippine Embassy in Itaewon, Seoul during the election period. Unlike in the past elections, voting was held in few other places in South Korea, but this time there is no other choice but to cast your vote in the Philippine Embassy in Seoul.

6.Only the names of candidates with significant number of votes and with political significance have been outlined here.

______________________________________________
Names of candidates: Total Number of votes:
______________________________________________
President:
1. Aquino, B. III................... 651
2. Estrada, J........................ 62
3. Gordon, ..........................108
4. Teodoro ..........................104
5. Villanueva, E. ...................253
7. Villar, M. .......................105

Vice-President:
1.Binay ...........................226
2.Fernando, B. .......................83
3.Legarda, L. ........................92
4.Sonza, J. ..........................65
5.Roxas, M ..........................665
6.Yasay .............................142

Party-List of Progressive Sectors
1.ACT-Teacher....................... 21
2.Anakpawis .........................27
3.Bayan Muna ........................57
4.Gabriela ..........................49


Senator:
1.Bello, S......................... 87
2.Biazon ..........................458
3.Cayetano ........................637
4.De Venecia ......................382
5.Defensor- Santiago ..............498
6.Drilon ..........................819
7.Enrile ......................... 583
8.Guingona ........................545
9.Hontiveros ......................475
10.Lapid.......................... 171
11.Marcos .........................428
12.Osmena, Serge ..................539
13.Recto.......................... 602
14.Remulla ........................312
15.Revilla ........................530
16.Sotto ..........................437
17.Maza, Liza..................... 174
18.Ocampo, Satur ..................213
______________________

7.The conduct of OAV at the Philippine Embassy was smooth on the last day of election on May 10, 2010. The fact is there were more or less thirty (30) persons who voted on the last day of voting. There were two late voters who failed to vote because they came at 9:50 p.m. when the voting had already closed at 8:00 p.m. They said that they’ve got the information that the voting time will last until 10:00 p.m. on May 10. Immediately after 8:00 p.m. the unused official ballots were destroyed with the use of paper cutter. Manual counting of votes started from 12:05 midnight May 11, with precinct 3 to close last at 8:05 p.m. same day or the maximum duration of around 20 hours.

Report Submitted by:
Frank J. Hernando, Poll and Canvass Watcher for Gabriela Women’s Party, Seoul, Korea
May 12, 2010.

Vote for progressive candidates