[Translation] U. S. Authority, Refused the ROK Government’s Request of Prohibition of the SPARK’s Entry into the US

* Image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea

'마침내 JFK공항 로비로 나오는 변연식대표와 오혜란 팀장'
Pyon Yeon-Sik, co-representative of the SPARK (right in the photo) and Oh Hye-Ran, Director of the Peace & Disarmament team, SPARK who could eventually come into the lobby of the JFK airport on April 29, 2010.
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* See also Bruce Gagnon's blog, HERE. Thanks, Bruce Gagnon.
브루스 개그논 블로그를 보세요. 감사합니다. 브루스 개그논.
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* Below is the arbitrary translation of the linked article.

Tongil News

“미 당국, 한국의 평통사 입국금지 요청 거부”
“U. S. Authority, Refused the ROK Government’s Request of Prohibition of the SPARK’s Entry into the US”

2010년 4월 30일, 금
Friday, April 30, 2010

오혜란 (평통사 평화군축팀장)
Oh Hye-Ran, Director of the Peace & Disarmament team, SPARK


: 평통사 변연식 대표, 오혜란 팀장, JFK 공항에서 미국 입국 못하고 3시간 동안 억류
: 한국 경찰의 미국 입국 금지요청.. 까다롭기로 유명한 미국 보안요안들도 납득 못해

: Pyon Yeon-Sik, Co-representative of the SPARK and Oh Hye-Ran, Director of the Peace & Disarmament team, SPARK, Restrained for three hours in the JFK airport, without being able to enter into the US, [for Three Hours]
: The South Korean police’s request of the prohibition of our entry into the US.. that could not persuade even the US security officers who are well known to be fastidious

변연식, 고영대, 오혜란, 박석진 등으로 구성된 평통사(평화와통일을여는사람들) NPT(핵무기비확산조약) 1)평가회의 대표단이 현지시간 4월 29일 오전 10시경 뉴욕 JFK 공항에 도착했다. 그러나 변연식 공동대표와 오혜란 팀장은 한국 경찰의 미국 입국 금지 요청이 있었다는 이유로 3시간 동안 억류상태에 있었다.

The delegates of the SPARK(Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea), composed of Pyon Yeon-Sik, Ko Young-Dae, Oh Hye-Ran and Park Suk-Jin, for the NPT evaluation meeting arrived in the JFK airport, New York, around 10am on April 29(New York time). However, Pyon Yeon-Sik, co-representative of the SPARK and Oh Hye-Ran, Director of the Peace Disarmament Team, SPARK have been restrained for three hours for the reason that there was the South Korean police’s request not to permit entry [of the two] into the U.S..

JFK 공항에서 입국 심사 중에 "잠깐 이쪽으로 오세요"라고 해서 따라 갔더니 미 국토보호부 마크가 선명하게 새겨진 방문객 및 국경보호국이 운영하는 입국 심사장이었다. 핸드폰이 울려 받으려고 했더니 보안요원들이 손을 들어 목을 치는 시늉을 하면서 "핸드폰은 사용금지"란다. 행동에 제약을 받기 시작했으니 억류나 다름없다.

As the two of us heard the words of “Please come here for a moment” during the entry review in the JFK airport and followed the callers, the place where we arrived was the entry review office operated by the US Customs and Border Protection, where the US Department of Homeland Security mark was clearly inscribed. As I tried to receive my cell phone ringing, the security members imitating of cutting the neck with their hands, said that “Use of mobile phone is not allowed.” It was nothing but the restraint as we became to get the restriction on our actions.

보안 요원들은 한국 경찰에 체포된 적이 있는지, 무슨 문제가 있었는지 물어보더니 한국 경찰이 두 사람을 찾고 있다는 것이다. 여권 발행하고 출국 허가 내줄 때는 언제고 이제 와서 찾고 있다니 무슨 일인지 납득 할 수 없는 상황이었다. 그래서 "평택미군기지, 용산, 키 리졸브 연습 등에 반대하는 기자회견을 개최한 바 있고 이 때문에 조사받거나 연행된 적은 있다. 그러나 여권발급과정에서 문제가 없었고 검사도 출국 허가서를 내줬다. 비자도 있고 미국 입국 목적도 명확하다. 유엔에서 발행한 등록서류를 가지고 있다. 뭐가 문제인가"라고 대답했더니 NPT 회의 참가 등록서류를 보여달라고 했다.

The Security members after asking whether we have been arrested or we have had any problems or not, told that the South Korean police were looking for two of us. What an inconvincible situation to hear that they were looking for us now as [the ROK authority] has already issued our passports and permitted our departure! So we answered that, “We have held the press interview in the Pyeongteak US base, Yongsan, against the Key Resolve military exercise and have been investigated and even taken away. However, there was no problem during the passport issue process and the prosecutor has given us the documents of permission for departure. We have the visas and our entry purpose is clear. We have the registration documents issued by the UN. What is the problem?” and they asked us to show the registration documents on the participation of the NPT meeting.

서류를 찾아 건네주고 나서도 무려 3시간 가까이 보안요원들은 여기저기 통화하고 자기들끼리 의견을 주고받더니 입국허가를 내주겠다며 불렀다. 이대로 묵과할 수 없다는 생각에 "한국경찰이 왜 우리를 찾는가, 뭐가 문제인가"라고 물었더니 예상과 달리 자세하게 설명하기 시작했다.

Even after they returned us back the documents, the security members called here and there for near three hours then sharing opinion themselves, called us saying that they would give us the entry permission. With the thought that we should not be silent on it, we asked them, “Why the ROK police are finding us? What is the problem?” and they began to explain in detail, different from our expectation.

한국 관련 당국(경찰과 국정원)이 말하기를 변연식, 오혜란 두 사람이 여러 차례 군사연습(Military Exercises)에 대해 정치적 항의(Political Protest)를 했고 연행된 적도 있으니 입국을 금지시키고 한국으로 되돌려 보내(Send Back) 해달라고 요청했다는 것이다.

They said that the South Korean authority (police and the National Intelligence Service) have told them since [we], Pyon Yeon-Sik and Oh Hye-Ran had done the political protests against the military exercises many times and had even been taken away, therefore asked them to prohibit our entry into here and send us back [to South Korea].

"문제가 왜 문제가 되는지 이유를 모르겠다. 미국에서도 시위를 많이 한다. 우리들도 임금이 적으면 올려달라고 데모할 수 있다"며 "한국 경찰은 두 사람이 국내법을 위반했다고 말하지만 한국 정부가 여권을 발행했고 미국 방문 목적도 명확한데, 입국을 금지해달라는 요청은 '상식 밖'(out of sense)'다. 그래서 두 사람에 대한 한국 정부의 입국 금지 요청을 거부했다"고 말했다. 평화적 집회나 기자회견마저 불법시하고 이를 이유로 입국 금지를 요청하는 이명박 정권의 행태를 납득하기 어렵다는 것이다.

Saying that, “We don’t know what the problem is. There are lots of protests in the United States as well. We can protest to raise our wage if it is low as well,” they told that, “Even though the South Korean police said the two [of you] violated the domestic law, since the ROK government has issued your passports and your purpose to visit the United States is clear so its request to prohibit your entry is ‘out of sense.’ Therefore we refused the South Korean government’s request of prohibition of your entry to here.” It was their talk that they could not understand the Lee Myung-Bak government’s behavior to even illegalize the peaceful rally and press interview and to request the prohibition of our entry into here for the reason of it.

출국허가를 해놓고 뒤에서 장난질 치는 이명박 정권의 행태가 미국 보안 요원의 입을 통해 확인된 것이다. 까다롭기로 소문난 미국 보안요원이 들어도 납득할 수 없는 이유를 들어 NPT평가회의에 대응한 시민사회단체의 활동에 제약을 가해보려는 치졸한 작태를 이명박 정권은 즉각 중단해야한다.

We could confirm the behavior of Lee Myung Bak government who, while permitting our departure, but kidded behind us, through the mouth of the US security officer. The Lee Myung-Bak government should immediately stop its crude behavior to control the activities of the civil social organizations by taking the inconvincible reasons even to the US security officers who are well known to be fastidious.