Text Fwd:[Translation] Statement against illegal inspection and unjust lay-off by the U. S. Air Force of Korea, Kunsan [번역]군산 미공군의 불법 사찰 부당해고 규탄 성명

__________________________________________________

참조 reference

대한민국과 아메리카합중국간의 상호방위조약 제4조에 의한 시설과 구역 및 대한민국에서의 합중국 군대의 지위에 관한 협정: 한_영SOFA.rtf 755K View as HTML Download

Agreement under Article IV of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of Korea and the United States of America, Regarding Facilities and Areas and the Status of United States Armed Forces in the Republic of Korea: SOFA_Eng.doc 672K View Download
__________________________________________________

* Image & caption source: Voice of People, Nov. 8, 2010
(ⓒ Kim Pan-Tae, Secretary of the Kunsan branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea)

군산미군기지 월례집회. 군산과 전북지역 단체들은 매월 둘째주 수요일 2시 정기 집회를 진행해오고 있다.ⓒ 김판태

A monthly rally in front of the Kunsan U.S. Air Base. The civil organizations in Kunsan(Gunsan) and Jeollabuk-do have been holding a regular monthly rally every 2pm, 2nd Wednesday of every month.

* Image source: Google

__________________________________________________
* 아래의 두 번역은 평화와 통일을 여는 사람들 사이트의 군산 주한 미공군 기지의 불법적 민간인 사찰 및 해고를 규탄하는 11월 10일 기자 회견문(클릭) 및 군산 미공군 불법사찰 및 부당해고 사건 주요경과(클릭)를 영문 번역한 것입니다. 내용이 중요하다 여겨지니 많은 분들께서 군산 평통사 카페 사이트(클릭)를 방문, 원문및 다른 기사들을 읽어 주시면 고맙겠읍니다. 또한 맨 아래에 넣은 군산 평통사 까페 사이트로부터 퍼온 이글의 유승기 목사님 의 11월 9일 연설 비디오 도 참조 하시길(클릭). 한편 군산 기지 관련 영문 블로그는 여기를 클릭
__________________________________________________

* The below is a arbitrary translation of the Korean statement in the link.
* For more on the protests against the Kunsan U.S. Air force base, go to HERE.
* Kunsan is also spelled in Gunsan.
* USFK is United States Forces of Korea
__________________________________________________

Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea(SPARK)

Press release on Nov. 10, 2010

We strongly denounce illegal inspection and unjust lay-off
by the Kunsan United States Air Force of Korea!

On last Oct. 21, a Korean civilian who has served in the Kunsan USFK base for 17 years has gotten a lay-off notice. In the sense that it was not a simple lay-off happening but that has been processed by the USFK investigation organization for the purpose of illegally inspecting and investigating Korean civilian, church, and civil organization and of oppressing their activities, it is a serious event that should never be overlooked.

* Image source: Ohmy News, Nov. 15, 2010
(Uploaded in the internet cafe site of the Kunsan branch, SPARK/ 군산 평통사 인터넷 까페 사이트: 클릭)

▲ 군산 미 공군기지 ⓒ 장재완
▲ Kunsan U.S. Air base ⓒ Jang Jae-Wan

We announce our position, strongly denouncing the investigation organization of the United States Forces of Korea(USFK) that has been illegally inspecting and oppressing the activities of the Kunsan branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK) & its members that have openly expanded its movements for the settlement of the matters related to the Kunsan US base & for peace disarmament, and that has further infringed South Koreans’ sovereignty and human rights.

The United States Forces of Korea should immediately withdraw from its decision of illegal and unjust lay-off of a Korean civilian!

The event this time began when the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) took away Mr. Jung who has worked for 17 years as an electric engineer in the Kunsan U.S. Air Base (Eighths combat air wing of the 7th Air Force, United States) and investigated him with the charge of leakage of military secrete and on the relationship between him and the SPARK.

* Image source: Ohmy News, Nov. 15, 2010 오마이 뉴스, 2010년 11월 15일
(Uploaded in the internet cafe site of the Kunsan branch, SPARK/ 군산 평통사 인터넷 까페 사이트: 클릭)

▲ 미공군특별수사대 마크 ⓒ 김판태(군산평통사 사무국장)
▲ U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI)
ⓒ Kim Pan-Tae, Secretary of the Kunsan branch of the SPARK

Mr. Jung is a Christian who has been present for 15 years in the Dolbegae (* meaning stone pillow) church that has been taken charge of by Rev. Yoo, a former representative of the Kunsan branch of the SPARK and is a civilian who has faithfully worked in the Kunsan U.S. base without bringing any problem. He is only a devotee of the Dolbegae church, nothing to do with the SPARK, and has no special concern with its activities.

At the time, the AFOSI investigating Jung and showing the activity materials of the SPARK & members-only resources of the Dolbegae church’s internet café etc, forced him to confess whether he had leaked military secret to the SPARK. [The AFOSI] also committed all kinds of illegalities and oppressions on human rights, by forcing him to do a false confession using a lie detector; expelling him out of base even by mobilizing (a) military dog(s) after investigation and by psychologically coercing him; and further its U.S. military inspector(s) confiscating his personal computer from his house even without a confiscation & search warrant and attempting to search his house even without taking off his(their) shoes.

(* In Korean tradition culture (and mostly in the modern times, too), people take off their shoes when they enter into the inside of house. It is considered very rude if they don’t, in Korea.)

[The AFOSI] especially took problematic that Rev. Yoo had visited Jung’s office in the Kunsan base, on his way of visiting his church followers’ places to help their religious faith activities. But [Rev. Yoo’s] visit at the time was only part of his missionary activities and was practiced following legal procedures of in &out [of base], only remaining (a) photo(s) in memory of his visit in Jung’s office.

(* In the beginning of the below Korean video, Rev. Yoo states about his feeling of how sorry he is about all the horrible things that have happened to his church follower, Jung. Rev. Yoo says he has been a representative of Kunsan branch of the SPARK for two years but has quit being so cautious because he did not want his SPARK activity could possibly damage of careers of his two church followers including Jung who had been working in the Kunsan U.S. air base for long time, before this incident happened. Rev. Yoo laments of how horrible things -illegal lay-off and inspection etc- happened to Mr. Jung, which were more than his imagination he could think. In the end of video, he urges Koreans that the Koreans, not the USFK are the masters of the Korean lands and they should retake their lands back, citing one of the Aesop fables of which a camel whom he compares with the USFK- and who eventually pushes a master (Koreans) out from his home (lands of Korea) and occupied them.)

Eventually, as the AFOSI could not prove its charges of [Jung's] leaking of military secrets and of his being related to the SPARK, which they had intended against him, the Kunsan U. S. air force ordered him never to inform the outside world of the fact that he had been investigated [by it] nor to attend at his own office [in the base] any more. Mr. Jung who was investigated with those tremendous charges that he could never understand has spent some months being adrift of anguish and without being present at the church he would go nor informing to anyone of the fact that he had been investigated, because of unspeakable mental shock and anxiety that he might lose his job that he had been working on for 17 years.

* Image source: Ohmy News, Nov. 15, 2010 오마이 뉴스, 2010/11/15
(Uploaded in the internet cafe site of the Kunsan branch of the SPARK 군산 평통사 인터넷 까페 사이트에 올려짐)

▲ 해고 당한 정모씨가 15년째 신앙생활를 해오고 있는 군산 돌베개교회 ⓒ 장재완
▲ The Dolbegae Church, Kunsan, where the laid-off Jung has been attending for 15 years ⓒ Jang Jae-Wan

However, different from his expectation, the Kunsan US air force noticed him of its lay-off plan on him on last Sept. 20 and gave him its final lay-off notice on last Oct. 21. The reasons that it took to lay him off were that Jung had maintained an ‘inappropriate’ relationship with Rev. Yoo, a [former] representative of the Kunsan branch of the SPARK; had provided [Rev. Yoo] access to the Kunsan base; had provided it false information during investigation; and that he had been related to anti-US organization(s).

* Image & caption source: Voice of People, Nov. 8, 2010
(ⓒ Kim Pan-Tae, Secretary of the Kunsan branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea)

군산 미공군이 정씨에게 보낸 해고예정 통보서.ⓒ 김판태
A planned lay-off notice sent to Mr. Jung, by the Kunsan U.S. air force

However, how possibly it can be the lay-off reasons to attend at the Dolbegae Church that has devoted for peace, unification and its neighborhood and to be in and out of the Kunsan base following legal procedures? And how it can be a provision of false information for him to re-state the time period of his recognition of the SPARK and how it can be claimed that he is related to the SPARK [for the reason] that he has donated to Dolbegae church, Gunsan Women’s Hotline and Peace Missionary? The reasons for lay-off of him, that the Kunsan air force asserted are of all nothing but preposterous stubbornness and narrow-minded assertion.

* Image source: Ohmy News, Nov. 15, 2010 오마이 뉴스, 2010/11/15
(Uploaded in the internet cafe site of the Kunsan branch, SPARK/ 군산 평통사 인터넷 까페 사이트: 클릭)

▲ 군산 미 공군기지에서 해고당한 정씨(왼쪽) ⓒ 장재완
▲ Mr. Jung laid-off by the Kunsan U.S. Air base (in the left) ⓒ Jang Jae-Wan

Such lay-off measure of the USAFK, Kunsan, must be the illegal lay-off that violated the clause 3 of the Article 17, Status of United States Armed Forces in the Republic of Korea (SOFA), that reads, “[T]he conditions of employment, compensation and labor-management relations established by the United States armed forces for their employees shall conform with provisions of labor legislation of the Republic of Korea.” and clause [2] of article 17, ‘Agreed Minutes’ that reads, “The Government of the United States shall not terminate employment unless there is just cause.”

* Image source: Ohmy News, Nov. 15, 2010 오마이 뉴스, 2010/11/15
(Uploaded in the internet cafe site of the Kunsan branch of the SPARK 군산 평통사 인터넷 까페 사이트에 올려짐)

▲ 군산 미공군기지(미 7공군 제8전투비행단) 앞 노동조합군산지부 안내판ⓒ 장재완
▲ A Guide mark of the Kunsan branch of the Korean employee union, in front of the Kunsan US Air Base(the 8th combat air wing of the 7th U.S. Air Force)ⓒ Jang Jae-Wan

Upon it, we strongly urge the authority of the United States Forces of Korea, to immediately withdraw from its illegal lay-off of an innocent Korean civilian and to reinstate Mr. Jung.

Apologize about illegal inspection and investigation that infringed sovereignty and human rights of South Korea!

The fact that the AFOSI, Kunsan forced by showing Mr. Jung the SPARK materials and closed resource that is only open to the devotees of the Dolbegae, during its inspection process tells that the USFK has routinely and illegally investigated civilian and church not to mention the civil organization(s) in South Korea.

The Kunsan USAFK is acknowledging itself that it has progressed illegal inspection by stating that it has investigated on the incident since last Sept. 11, 2008, in its dispatch letter on the lay-off of Mr. Jung.

There is no legal basis for an investigation office of the United States Forces of Korea to inspect and investigate South Korean civilian, civil organizations and churches. If any illegal activities are discovered, [inspection & investigation] are the tasks of the inspection organization(s), South Korean, never of those of the United States Forces of Korea.

Illegal inspection, taking away, confiscation and search committed by an inspection office of the United States Forces of Korea is a serious infringement of article 12, Constitution of Republic of Korea that states ‘freedom of body’; a grave encroachment of the judicial sovereignty of ROK; and a violation of article 3 of the law on the protection of communication secret that stipulated the protection of secret in communication.

* Image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, Nov. 9, 2010평통사, 11월 9일

주한 미 대사관 앞 134 차 자주 통일 평화 행동 집회의 유승기 목사
Rev. Yoo Seung-Gi holding the sign of ' No infringement of freedom of religion, No United States Forces of Korea!'
At the 134th Self-Reliance, Unification, and Peace Action rally in front of the United States of Embassy, Seoul

Also, it is a serious damage of honor and challenge to ‘freedom of religion’ that is prescribed in the article 20 of the Constitution [of the ROK] that [the Kunsan USAFK] investigated the SPARK and Rev. Yoo, saying such and such of leakage of military secret and charging them as spy.

The Kunsan Air Base of the U. S. has annually held its open event of Kunsan base and it is common [for people] to come into and go out to the restaurant and other facilities inside base, guided by base worker. It cannot but be seen as the target inspection and oppression originated from the intention to shrink the activities of civil organization(s) that constantly raise(es) the issue of the USFK that [the Kunsan Air Base] laid off Mr. Jung, questioning the coming and going of only a SPARL representative.

The authorities of the United States Forces of Korea should clearly know that they is not a South Korean now, who tolerates the stationing of the USFK as a ruler who rather attempts to control and oppress civil organization and Korean people through its illegal inspection from the behind, not to mention its neither hearing the claims by civil organization(s) who make(s) an effort to settle the matters of the USFK nor trying to settle those.

Therefore, strongly denouncing illegal inspection, investigation and oppression on the SPARK by the Kunsan US air force, we strongly urge the authorities of the USFK to apologize to South Koreans and strictly punish the related personnel. If the authority of the USFK ignores our demands and does not thoroughly settle the event this time, we clearly state that we would strongly fight, such as widely spreading barbarism of the USFK not to mention of legal response such as bringing a suit and indicting against the U.S. air force, in Kunsan.

* Image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, Nov. 9, 2010평통사, 11월 9일
△ 항의서한과 면담요청서를 미대사관에 전달.
△ The activists delivered their letters of protest and meeting request to the United States Embassy, Seoul

Along with that, the Lee Myung-Bak government should actively stand to correct the infringements of sovereignty and human rights of South Koreans and unjust lay-off by the U. S. air force, Kunsan.

Nov. 10, 2010

Kunsan branch, Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea; Gunsan Women’s Hotline; Dolbegae Church; The Civil Council for Retaking Back of Our Lands in the Kunsan(Gunsan) USFK Base*; Jeollabuk-do branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Jeollabuk-do branch of the Democratic Labor Party; Iksan branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea; Jeonjoo branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Unification of Korea; Jeollabuk-do branch of the Korean Alliance of Progressive Movements; Jeollabuk-do branch of the New Progressive Party; Peace Missionaries; and all the persons present in the press interview

___________________________________________________

* The below is an arbitrary translation of the Korean summary in the link.

Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea(SPARK)
Nov. 12, 2010

-Development of the main affairs related to illegal inspection and unjust lay-off by the Kunsan United States Air Forces of Korea (USAFK), -

○ June 10, 2010

- The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) takes away Mr. Jung (45) and processes an investigation related to military- secret leakage and to the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea ( Co-permanent representatives: Fr. Moon Kyu-Hyun, Mr. Bae-Jong-Ryeol, and Rev. Hong Keun-Soo)

- Jung denies the charge of leakage of military secret upon him and answers he does not know the SPARK.

- Investigation result: [the AFOSI] could not find from him any facts of military-secret leakage and relation ship with the SPARK.

-Right after investigation: The USAFK, Kunsan, prohibits him not to outflow the investigation facts to outside and orders him to stop to attend to the Kunsan base .

- [The USAFK, Kunsan] searches [Mr. Jung’s] home without warrant and confiscates his personal computer.

- A completely armed base guard, using (a) shepherd, the military dog(s), and coercing Mr. Jung with psychological impact and expels him to outside the base.

○ June 11

- While Mr. Jung answered upon the inquiry that regards Rev. Yoo Seung-Gi, Dolbegae Church, as a spy, that “I don’t know about the SPARK,” being embarrassed and confused, brought back his memory after returning home and stated again saying that, “ After leading Rev. Yoo to the Kunsan base in 2007 & 2009, I became to know the facts of Rev. Yoo’ activities in the SPARK by internet searching around Jan. 10, but I don’t know about the SPARK in detailed contents.”

- Even though the Kunsan USAFK defined his former [statement] above as a false statement and made reason of his lay-off, it cannot be the reason of lay-off as [his changing statement] did not come from his vicious intention.

○ August 2 to 3

- The U.S. AFOSI: investigate [Mr. Chung] with lie detector.

- After the end of investigation with lie detector, the investigator asserting that “All Jung’s answers were lies,” and enforced Mr. Jung to acknowledge that, “Mr. Jung has been related to the SPARK,” but Mr. Jung said he could not acknowledge the investigation result on him.

- Upon that, the investigator conciliated him saying that, “ Since you have passed all the lie detector investigation except for one thing (that Mr. Jung recognized the fact that Rev, Yoo had been working in the SPARK when he was leading Rev. Yoo to Kunsan base), acknowledge only that.”

Mr. Jung re-claiming that all his answers were facts, replied that “As the origin of this accident was made because of the relationship between [myself] and Rev. Yoo, I could not but react much emotionally at the inquiry about my old acquaintance with whom I have to cut relationship, upon hearing his name,” regarding the item that he could not pass [lie detector].

○ Sept. 20 : receives the notice on his planned lay-off

○ Sept. 28: submits an explanation letter

○ Oct. 20 (Dated Oct. 21): receives from the Kunsan USAFK a notice on decision of his lay-off

○ Oct. 29: submits a written application to the human resource dept. of the USFK. Audit is planned (two to three months are expected for it to be taken)
____________________________________________________

[2010/11/9] (동영상) 군산미공군 불법사찰 부당해고 사건_유승기 목사 연설 (비디오 소개 및 URL: 군산 평통사)
[Nov. 9, 2010] On the incident of Kunsan U.S. Air Force's illegal inspection and unjust lay-off_Speech by Rev. Yoo ( Video introduction & URL in Korean: Kunsan branch of the SPARK)


____________________________________________________
More Photos

* All the image source of the below: Kim Hyun-Jin, News Cham, Nov. 11, 2010
김현진, 참세상, 2010년 11월 11일

▲ 군산미공군이 민간이 불법사찰하고 부당해고까지 한 사실이 드러나면서 10일 전북경찰청 앞에서 전북지역 시민단체들이 강력 규탄에 나섰다. [출처: 참소리]

▲ As the fact that the U.S. air force, Kunsan has illegally inspected and laid off a Korean civilian was revealed, the civil organizations in Kunsan, Jeollabuk-do, entered strong protests in front of the Jeollabuk-do provincial police agency on Nov. 10, 2010
The sign reads, “We strongly denounce the U.S. air force, Kunsan, for its illegal inspection of church and civil organization( sign by the Dolbegae church).

▲ 전북경찰청 기자실 입구 앞 복도를 막아선 경찰. [출처: 참소리]
▲ The police are preventing protesters by blocking a corridor in front of the press room,
Jeollabuk-do police agency, Nov. 10, 2010

▲ 시민단체들이 기자실이 아닌 도경찰청 현관 앞에서 회견을 진행하려 했지만 그마저도 경찰은 무산시켰다.

▲ Even though some civil organizations tried to process a press interview in front of the gate of the Jeollabuk-do provincial police agency, not in its press room, the police prevented even that.

▲ 기자회견문 자료 내용이 모두 사실이라는 피해자 정모씨의 사실확인서.

▲ The Secretary of the Kunsan branch of the SPARK is holding Jung’s letter in which Jung , the victim by the Kunsan USFK confirmed that all the contents in the press release statement were true.