Photos Fwd:[SPARK] Immediately withdraw Yeonpyeong Island artillery fire drill that instigates the 2nd Korean War!

________________________________________
* Image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, Dec. 20, 2010평화와 통일을 여는 사람들(클릭)

The banner reads:

Immediately withdraw the Yeonpyeong Island artillery fire drill that instigates all-out Korean War and counters against the resumption of the six party talks!

Place: The front gate of the Ministry of National Defense (Joint Chiefs of Staff)

By: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea

Two signs read

Peace to the Korean peninsula! Normal life to the Yeonpyeong Island residents!

Stop the artillery fire drill! Implement of the Oct. 4joint statement!

A sign reads:

Does the Lee Myung-Bak government want war in the Korean peninsula?

* The Korean sign reads: We need peace not war!





A sign reads

I truly want the ROK military does not fire! __________________________________________
* Image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, Dec. 17, 2010평화와 통일을 여는 사람들(클릭)

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* Related articles

Kyunghyang Sinmun
What is this live-fire drill for? And whom is the military firing drill for?
Posted on : 2010-12-20

Yonhap News
N. Korea silent as S. Korea concludes live-fire drill near sea border
2010/12/20 18:31 KST

Hankyoreh
[Urgent] S. Korea begins live-fire artillery drills Yeonpyeong Island near the border Posted on : Dec.20,2010 14:35 KST

[Site Fwd] [Korea Report] The Confrontation in the West Sea Area Begs Peaceful Settlement

* Arbitral English translations were added to an original Korean image

The agreed plan on the 'special peace and cooperation zone in the West Sea',
stated on Oct. 7, 2010 joint declaration

Joint-development-planned:
(1) Peace water and joint fishing area
(2) Haeju port
(3) Haeju factory zone
(4) Water area of Han River mouth
(5) Direct sea route to Haeju
(* translated)

_____________________________________________

Korea Report
Nov. 24, 2010
November 24, 2010
The Confrontation in the West Sea Area Begs Peaceful Settlement

Guns have flared again dangerously in Korea -- in Yeonpyeong Island in the West Sea (Yellow Sea), within the disputed maritime border area between the two sides of Korea. Despite North Korea's claim that its action was in retaliation to its vocally-protested South Korea's naval exercises in the region, the North Korean military was wrong to fire its artillery directly at the island, hitting both military and civilian targets, resulting in military and civilian casualties and substantial damage to the island. This in turn prompted South Korea to return artillery fire to the North Korean shore.

This confrontation is one of many deadly clashes that has occurred in this area, due to the long-standing dispute arising from the unsettled vestige of the Korean War and the fragility of its armistice, which still stands to this day -- 57 years after its signing. Unlike the land-based DMZ agreed upon by the Korean War armistice, the maritime border was not clearly delineated. The UN command then unilaterally created the Northern Limit Line (NLL), which encroaches dangerously close to North Korea's shores in the area (just 7.5 miles from Yeonpyeong Island to North Korea) -- and which expectedly North Korea does not acknowledge.

The above photo shows an outline of the proposed "Special Area for West Sea Peace Cooperation" around the NLL, agreed as a part of the October 4, 2007 Joint Declaration(* See the below) by then-President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea and Chairman Kim Jong-il of North Korea. The shaded, numbered areas indicate proposed areas of cooperation and development for joint peaceful usage such as joint fishery and economic zone, with the idea of promoting inter-Korea collaboration instead of continuously engaging in deadly military standoff in the area. Had this agreement been implemented by the succeeding administration of President Lee Myong-bak, the clashes in the West Sea would have surely been prevented. Lee administration's other hardline policies toward North Korea did not help the situation.

With Washington's refusal on North Korea's request for direct talks and Seoul's denouncement of the Sunshine Policy of inter-Korea rapproachement, Pyongyang may have hastily and dangerously gambled on a dramatic attempt to get the issue in the front burner of the world stage, along with its recent revelation of uranium enrichment activities. If all parties agree that escalation of the current crisis needs to be prevented to avoid an all-out war and its unimaginable destruction and casualties, all avenues towards a peaceful settlement must be pursued. In this spirit, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter responded quickly to the current crisis, calling for engagement with North Korea. On the other hand, the usual repetition of show of military force using joint U.S.-South Korea exercises including a nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier in the West Sea will not be conducive to this path.

1 comments

____________________________________________
See
October 4, 2007 Joint Declaration

Part of NO. 5
'The South and the North have agreed to create a “special peace and cooperation zone in the West Sea” encompassing Haeju and vicinity in a bid to proactively push ahead with the creation of a joint fishing zone and maritime peace zone, establishment of a special economic zone, utilization of Haeju harbor, passage of civilian vessels via direct routes in Haeju and the joint use of the Han River estuary. The South and the North have agreed to complete the first-phase construction of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex at an early date and embark on the second-stage development project.'


About Korean activists' statement on Hecker report and defense Minister Kim's remark on redeployment of nuclear weapon in the Korean peninsula, see HERE


See also
Bruce Gagnon's Organizing Notes blog
Tuesday, November 23, 2010


______________________________

Poster Fwd: [PKAR] Stop the War Exercise & Realize the 10.4 Joint Statement [범민련 남측 본부] 전쟁연습 중단하고 10.4선언 이행

* Click the image for larger view. 이미지를 클릭하시면 확대됩니다.

* For more images, click HERE
Pan Korean Alliance for Reunification of Korea 범민련 남측 본부

_____________________________________________________

*Declaration on the Advancement of South-North Korean Relations, Peace and Prosperity
Date : 2007-10-04 (* informed in the Korea Report)

* All the blogs on the Oct. 4 statement

Photo Fw: April 2 Peace Unification Music Festival

* Image source: Tongil News: Peace Unification Music Festival, April 2, 2010 (Photo by Cho Sung-Bong)

Text Fwd: Expert views on North Korea issues are bright

* Image source/ caption: same as the below link
'North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-il, left, waves during his visit to the Heechon power plant located in North Pyoungan Province in this undated picture released by North Korea’s official news agency KCNA on Jan. 4. (KCNA)'

Hankyoreh
Expert views on North Korea issues are bright
Survey of scholars and former high-level officials forecast an inter-Korean summit within the year
Jan. 5, 2010

The 2010 outlook on the Korean Peninsula is a somewhat bright one. As we recall, last year started off with tensions high and a possibility of a military clash between North Korea and South Korea. We are astonished at how much has since changed.

Contributing to this favorable outlook is that will be no regime change in the administrations of South Korea or the U.S. serving as a factor of instability, as they did in 2008 and 2008, respectively. According to an open-ended questionnaire administered to 42 scholars and former high-level officials on inter-Korean issues, conducted annually by the Hankyoreh and the Institute for Far Eastern Studies, the forecast suggests a high probability of a third inter-Korean summit within the year.

The Hankyoreh is focusing its reporting on analysis of two major items in the survey’s results. The first item is of the respondents’ analysis of a possibility of an inter-Korean summit, and the second is of the respondents’ analysis of progress on the North Korean nuclear issue. What follows below is a report on the respondents’ answers to questions about the possibility of a summit.　


Most of the survey’s respondents pointed out the key factor in the realization of a third inter-Korean summit is the South Korean government’s intentions. The experts and former high-level officials anticipate that if the Lee Myung-bak administration stops adhering to an insistence on denuclearization as a prerequisite for dialogue, a third inter-Korean summit could take place.

Out of a total 42 respondents, 31 responded to this item. Out of these 31 responses, 17 respondents, including Su Hoon Lee, director of Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies, offered a positive outlook without provisions. Another seven respondents, including Kim Yong-Hyun, professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University, attached the provision if the Lee Myung-bak administration took on a flexible attitude. Among these 24 respondents, four experts, including a former vice chairman of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), advocated for a summit by writing the response, “South Korea needs to participate in a third summit in order to strengthen our position during the process of resolving the nuclear issue.”

In contrast, seven experts, including former Unification Minister Kang In-duck offered a negative outlook by selecting the response, “As of now, there is no possibility of a third summit.”

The responses given by the experts this year significantly differ from those in years previous. Whereas experts have previously selected North Korea as a core factor in determining inter-Korean relations, the response given by the majority this time suggests the Lee Myung-bak administration is the core factor determining whether a summit will take place.

Moreover, considering the current situation of the Korean Peninsula and North Korea’s intention to enter into direct dialogue with the U.S., also noteworthy in the survey’s results is how 22 respondents selected the statement, “There is no reason for North Korea to reject the summit proposal.”

A few experts opted to write responses that point to other factors that contribute to the possible realization of a summit. Koh Yu-hwan, professor of Dongkuk University, made the statement, “Improvements in the nuclear issue is a prerequisite for a summit.” Former Unification Minister Chung Sye-hyun made the statement, “The Lee Myung-bak administration should respect the June 15 Joint Declaration and October 4 Declaration.” Chung Chang-hyun, president of Minjok 21, a monthly magazine on the North Korean issue, chose to write, “The abductee issue is the biggest obstacle for the third summit.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]


* Related blog

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2010/01/text-fwd-analysis-north-koreas-new.html
Monday, January 4, 2010
Text Fwd: [Analysis] North Korea’s New Year’s Day joint editorial on peace and the economy


* Related article

Hankyoreh
President Lee’s New Year’s speech promises change in inter-Korean relations
Observers focus on Lee’s mention of a establishing a permanent body of dialogue with North Korea
Jan. 5, 2009

Text Fwd: [Analysis] North Korea’s New Year’s Day joint editorial on peace and the economy

* Image source/caption: same as the link below
'In this photograph released by APTN, people are punching their fists into the air during a rally held at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, Jan. 2. Tens of thousands of North Koreans rallied in the capital Saturday to support the communist government‘s policies for the new year, including improved relations with the U.S. and South Korea, and a higher standard of living. (APTN)'

Hankyoreh
[Analysis] North Korea’s New Year’s Day joint editorial on peace and the economy:
N.Korea holds back on criticisms against S.Korea and the U.S. and conveys goals of regime stability and resumption of inter-Korean cooperation projects
Jan. 4, 2009

The New Year’s Day joint editorial in North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun, Korean People’s Army Daily and Chongnyon Jonwi was almost unprecedented in terms of content and format. In terms of format, as the editorial’s headline suggests, “Let’s Make a Decisive Turning Point in the Life of the People on the 65th Year of the Founding of the Party by Once Again Spurring Light Industry and Agriculture,” it took on specific pending issues. This is quite different from the past, in which the joint editorials were given abstract and vague headlines like “Prime Time of Songun Korea” (2007), “Year of Historic Turnabout” (2008) and “Revolutionary Upsurge” (2009). In terms of content, there was a reduction in bellicose rhetoric and in general, it conveys a flexible attitude. Particularly noteworthy is the complete lack of criticism aimed at South Korea and the U.S.

The focus of the joint editorial was on the economy and specifically on “improving the life of the people.” It presented the improvement of the people’s lives as the major goal for the year, and referred to it as a political project that would attain the teachings of late North Korean leader Kim Il-sung and legitimize the great works of the party. Accordingly, the joint editorial called for active foreign trade. This was in contrast to the past, in which the joint editorial placed an emphasis on Songun, North Korea’s “Military First” policy, and defense industries.

The joint editorial’s direction was not, however, pro-market reform and openness. It presented a methodological solution that included boosting light industrial and agricultural production, insuring the stability of free medical care and free compulsory education, holding fast to socialist principles in distribution, and firmly establishing planning, fiscal and labor administration regulations. The editorial content clearly indicates that North Korea is trying to ensure regime stability by rebuilding its planned economy and socialist welfare system.

The joint editorial describes North Korea’s position to improve inter-Korean relations based on the June 15 Joint Declaration and October 4 Declaration as firm, and conveys the country’s intention to press forward with visits and contacts at all levels in order to resume cooperation projects. The Choson Sinbo, the official publication of the pro-Pyongyang Chongryeon or the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, cites the two inter-Korean summits and suggests the possibility of a third summit this year together with dramatic changes in inter-Korean relations. A South Korean government official, however, says Seoul is calmly taking the joint editorial as consistent with North Korea’s conciliatory line that has been articulated since last August.

The joint editorial suggests the fundamental issue in guaranteeing peace on the Korean Peninsula is ending the hostile relationship between North Korea and the U.S., and that North Korea’s consistent position is to build a firm peace regime on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and negotiations and to realize denuclearization. This is a reassertion of North Korea’s existing line that it will be placing an emphasis on building a peace regime during talks with the U.S. and through the six-party talks. The stipulation of dialogue and negotiations is being read as a message directed at U.S. President Barack Obama prior to the anniversary of his first year in office.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
Posted on : Jan.4,2010 12:08 KST

Photos Fwd: Yongsan, Bicycle and Anniversary of Oct. 4 Joint Statement

Image source: ‘Bicycles for Peaceful Reunification’
First Bicycle Peace Parade for the National Reconciliation and the Peace in the Korean peninsula,
Imjingak, Paju, vicinity of the Korea DMZ
(Photo by Cho, Sung Bong, Tongil News Sept. 26, 2009)

Image Source:
'Pan-Korean rally for the Justice in Yongsan'
Photo by Koh, Sung-Jin, Tongil News, Seoul, Sept. 26, 2009

Image Source:
'Recalling of the Summit meeting between the North &
South Korea, Oct. 4, 2007 '
at the event of the 2nd Anniversary of the Oct. 4 Joint Statement, Seoul
Photo by Park, Hyun Bum, Tongil News, Sept. 26, 2009

Koreans Memorize the 56th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Agreement

* Image Source
1. Koh, Sung-Jin, Tongil News
2.~ 10. No Base Stories of Korea

Koreans memorize the 56th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Agreement:
Rally Is Done Despite Police Interruption

On July 26, 2009, despite the heavy police blockade, the rally for the 56th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Agreement on July 27, 1953 was done by the staunch activists in the center of Seoul. The activists included the Solidarity for Peaceful Reunification of Korea, Korean Alliance for Progressive Movement, Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification, South Korea bracnch, and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. Long time ex-prisoners under the National Security Law and the Families of the conscience prisoners were also present there empowering the protest as they have always been too.

At the beginning, the police tried to prohibit the use of the broadcasting car and the rally near the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. The activists blocked the police interruption with their own bodies and demanded the police to keep the law. The activists protested the police that if the police blocked the legally permitted rally, they would indict the police under the charge of violating law. The police finally withdrew.

As the rally was done as intended, the activists claimed, Revive June 15; Withdraw PSI; Stop the UFG War Drill; Stop the Sanction against the NK; Restore the US-NK Relationship; and the Peace Agreement. The June 15 Joint declaration between the two Koreas has been blocked under the current Lee Myung Bak (2MB) regime. There were many university students as well and a group of them celebrated the rally with their dance.

There was a heavy rain after the rally. But people still enjoyed the meal outside while their cloth totally wet.

* Related Korean articles

Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea

http://www.spark946.org/bugsboard/index.php?BBS=s_news&action=viewForm&uid=2265&page=1

http://spark946.org/bugsboard/index.php?BBS=s_conews&action=viewForm&uid=6572

Tongil News
정전협정 56돌, 곳곳서 '평화' 목소리 잇달아
시민사회, 한.미 양국에 대북 적대정책 폐기 촉구
2009년 07월 26일 (일) 20:17:27 고성진 기자
56th Korean War Armistice Agreement, Voices of “Peace” Everywhere:
Civil Society Urges the Both Authorities of the U.S. A. and the South Korea to Abandon the Hostile Policy Against the North Korea
July 26, 2009, Sunday, by Koh, Sung-Jin, kolong81@tongilnews.com

Text Fwd: Statement: The oppression of the Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification (PKAR) is killing of June 15.

Translation from the South Korean branch, Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification (PKAR) site
http://tongil-i.net/2006/bbs/bbs/tb.php/state/370
Statement: The oppression of the Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification (PKAR) is killing of June 15. May 8, 2009

Yesterday, the Lee, Myung Bak dictatorship regime, while unfulfilling its jobs, did a wholesale oppression against the South Korean branch, Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification (PKAR), acting again to kill the June 15 joint statement and Oct. 4 statement.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the conservative vigilantes confiscated the 16 houses, 7 offices of the PKAR and civil organizations simultaneously at 6:30 am, forcefully arrested 6 people including the chairperson, Lee, Kyu-Jae and issued five people the demand for the presence at the NIS.

The PKAR severely denouncing the mad crime by the Lee Myung Bak dictatorship regime and the NIS chief, Won, Se-Hoon in front of all the 70 million people, strongly requests to release the forcefully arrested people right away and immediately return back all the confiscated materials to the original places.

Revealed by the attorney interview, the so-called suspicion contents being too poor, compared to the degree of oppression, they are officially announced as the suspicions of the ‘involvement in the enemy-benefiting organization’ and are summarized with the question of ‘ what directives the PKAR did receive from the North Koreans whom they met in China, in 2004’.

It is absolutely the rehash of the oppression of the ‘6.15 Joint Statement Practice Solidarity’ and another advance notice of the ‘spy event’ manipulated from the vicious intention of bring into the fears among the citizens of candle.

We clearly warn.

There should be no miscalculation than the idea that the sacrificial offerings were prepared for the Lee Myung Park dictatorship regime by anew covering with the National Security Law, while the PKAR has worked legally, openly, for a long time.

As known to all, the so called ‘ National Security Law’ got the death penalty as the June 15 Joint statement was declared to the world, positively approved by the 70 million Koreans, and the National Security Law became retroactive since then. The clear reality- that the South and North Korea brightly showed the way of reconciliation and collaboration- could made the National Security Law, a most vicious law among the vicious laws, a trash that can not be called even as law, which defined the same nation as enemy, impossible to be recklessly spoken. So, how the Lee Myung Bak regime and Won Se-Hoon are doing the thoughtless act and despising our people as to have a delusion that they can do something on the PKAR with the National Security law.

We have predicted that the Lee Myung Bak regime and Won Se-Hoon would attack us with any excuse because they used to say about ‘recovering the lost 10 years’ and ‘ rooting- off - leftists operation’. And it is the rehash of the oppression case of the ‘6.15Joint Statement Practice Solidarity’ as they could not find any pretext. In fact, we could not dream that we would be the heroes of such poor comedy. However as Lee Myung Bak regime and Won Se-Hoon were pushed to the edge during the phase when ‘the idea of PSI total participation was regarded as the announcement of the strike in advance’, when they got total failure in the 4.29 compensating re-election, when the candle rights got hot like a room floor in the hot summer, and finally when the people are to gather into the Kwangju province hall, hosting the Month of Uprising, May, they began to hurry to oppress the PKAR.

It is obvious that the Lee Myung Bak regime and Won Se-Hoon would draw the plausible picture overnight out from the clumsy oppression of the PKAR, hanging all the confiscated materials in the NIS office. Because lie and manipulation used to be every day events during the dictatorship in the past and because they are the most talent of all the talents of the Lee Myung Bak whose representative work is the lie of the BBK film.

The PKAR DECLARES from this time, today, as below

Not to mention the National Security Law, we will not acknowledge any whole vicious MB law series, executed by the Lee Myung Bak regime, Won Se-Hoon and Grand National Party

We will strongly struggle against the whole series of “manipulation conspiracy ” brought out from the patches of the confiscated materials, which would be more than the oppression of the comedy level.

The PKAR is the great unity of the nation by the three party solidarity among the South Korea, North Korea and the overseas. We have requested one another to be ONE from the viewpoint & position of the dignity and the interest of nation. We will not be silent against any conspiracy trampling down the purity of the PKAR who has shouted, “ Nation is ONE, Fatherland is ONE”. We will not be dumb at the indiscriminate flogging of coloring the PKAR history which has shouted, “Unify under the June 15 joint statement beyond the idea and system’ with the ideology.

40 million people! The 29th anniversary of the Kwangju people’s uprising is coming.

The Lee, Myung Bak regime and Won, Se-Hoon is scorching the nation with the mad shoveling as to make the murderer, Chun, Doo-Hwan shameful, is blockading people’s any tiny critic with the illegality, evasion and lawlessness and is answering them with clubs by the force of the rogue police.

Let’s bring up higher the candle of uprising, with the strong resolution to thoroughly smash the seeds of the foreign powers and the dictatorship.

The PKAR would finally bring the Lee Myung Bak dictatorship regime and the NIS of Won Se-Hoon, the trash can of the absurdity, the ghetto of treacherous pro-USA & pro-Japan, to the rigorous court of History.

May 8, 2009

South Korean branch, Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification (PKAR)



* Related blogs*

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/05/text-fwd-korean-activists-arrested-for.html
Monday, May 11, 2009
Text Fwd: KOREAN ACTIVISTS ARRESTED FOR DESIRING REUNIFICATION OF THEIR COUNTRY

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/05/11-year-sons-letter-to-his-beloved.html
Sunday, May 10, 2009
11 year old son's letter to his beloved arrested father on the Parents' Day

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/05/image-source-description-1.html
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Release Choi, Eun-A and the other five arrested!!!!!!!!

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/05/text-fwd-nis-raids-19-places-related-to.html
Friday, May 8, 2009
Text fwd: NIS raids 19 places related to the unification movement