By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
SEOUL, South Korea– Although South Korea ousted a military dictatorship and embraced democracy more than two decades ago, reports have surfaced that since South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office in February 2008, the country’s state of democracy has been backsliding.
Since his inauguration, President Lee has removed officials who hold liberal views from state-affiliated news outlets. This move has actually brought the head of the International Federation of Journalists to come to Seoul and ask for guarantees to press freedom.
Clark Sorensen, a Korea expert at University of Washington, said, “[I]t does seem…that some old patterns from predemocratic past have resurfaced.”
Amnesty International’s Norma Kang Muico also expressed concern saying, “[T]here have been no prosecutions of riot police, despite ample evidence…of human rights violations committed by some police officials.”
Moreover, thousands of teachers face punishment by the government for participating in civic movements calling for protection of democratic freedoms. 89 members of the Korean Teachers’ and Education Workers’ Union (KTU) are under criminal investigation for organizing a petition, the contents of which included the deteriorating state of South Korean democracy.
Im Byung-koo, a member of KTU, said, “As people who have to teach children [about recent events], we thought, ‘It’s time for us to speak about democracy.’”
However, the Seoul Central Prosecutor’s Office raided KTU offices and seized computer servers and documents, including documents that were not included in the search warrant. KTU announced that they will “fight to protect the freedom of opinion and expression and will defend the values of democracy.”
Im faces termination from his employment for signing the petitions and is barred from teaching for three years. South Korean Ministry of Education justified their punishment of the teachers saying that civil servants and teachers’ unions are barred from group political activity.
Some critics, including Lance Compa of Cornell University, claim South Korea is violating International Labor Organization laws. Compa said, “[The] law can prevent political proselytizing in the classroom by teachers, but cannot restrict their participation in political affairs in society at large.”
For more information, please see:
Christian Science Monitor – Is South Korea backsliding on its democracy movement – 13 September 2009
Korean Teachers & Education Workers’ Union – KTU headquarters raided by prosecutors and riot police – 3 July 2009
Oh My News – Prosecutors: Indicting the Teachers or Not? – 9 September 2009
