On 14 August activities around the U.S. Embassy was limited to a few student activists standing with signs a few blocks away. The main elements of activists marched from Taehakro (University Avenue) to the Chunggak area near the U.S. embassy. The march was peaceful and simply a trial run for the next day's activities. There was a minor confrontation near Ehwa University between riot police and marchers, but otherwise it was a peaceful march. The theme was "no war" and the banners supported the honoring of the "6.15" agreement between South and North Korea from the 2000 summit. Prevalent were the white doves and small signs with "no war." There were an estimated 3000 participants.

Unification March from University Road to Chunggak (near Embassy) Seoul (14 Aug 03)

On the night of the 14th, there was a large Unification Concert Rally held outdoors at the Nochun Theater at Kyonghee University in Seoul. Attended mostly by student activists, it had a revolutionary theme. The skits protested the U.S. keeping the South divided. The ideas rotated around the nationalistic feelings. Approximately 3000 persons attended.

Unification Concert Outdoors Rally Seoul (14 Aug 03)

On 15 Aug, there was a march of 6200 people from progressive groups such as Federation of Korean University student Councils and Unification Network gathered at Maronier Park at Taehakro Street to protest against the U.S. and war. They marched to Jonro Street. Carrying anti-war or anti–U.S. placards or pickets, they shouted “the withdrawing of the U.S. troops stationed in Korea.” (See Voice of the People: VIDEO for Korean view of USFK military.)

The student activists argued that unification should be achieved by the cooperation between South and North Korea and by implementing the June 15 joint declaration. In the leaflets distributed to citizens, they argued that the U.S. move is escalating the tension on the Korean Peninsula.

The marchers dressed in blue t-shirts identified them as Unification activists marched in the forefront. Well-organized, the march was peaceful. The activists carried banners calling for the adoption of the "6.15" resolution from Kim Dae-jung-Kim Jong-Il's 2000 summit. The prevalent symbols were cutouts of doves or signs stating "no war." One marching group had doves wings. An interesting mobile was a towering "robot" -- "Robot Taekwon-V" -- with the worlds "no war" on its waist. Students wearing U.S. uniforms or George Bush masks cowered at its feet. Again the activists are voicing the North Korean rhetoric that the U.S. is preparing for a pre-emptive strike. Other subtle hints of anti-Americanism seen on the picture of a devil of war with ammunition strapped to its body -- and on its chin is an American flag. The nationalistic themes of "One Corea" was expressed throughout. (See Tongil News for more photos.)

Unification Rally Seoul Plaza (15 Aug 03)

At Chonggak Station about 8000-9000 people including the chairman of Democratic Labor party Kwon Yeong-gil and the head of the Unification Network Na Chang-sun commemorated Independence Day. Leftist groups including the radical student organization Hanchongryun and the Reunification Organization turned out to warn against a new war between the two Koreas. They gathered before the headquarters of the Korea First Bank in Jongno at 4 p.m.

Because a pro-USFK/anti-North Korea demonstration with 5,000 people was being held nearby in Seoul City Hall Plaza, the police mobilized 11,400 policemen and police vehicles to inspect cars passing the roads that connect City Hall, Jonggak Station and Gwanghwamun. The intent was to prevent possible confrontation of the two groups. The police confiscated materials such as a model of the U.S. president George W. Bush from being carried into the gathering site. In the process, there were conflicts between the police and participants. There was heavy traffic jam until late at night due to the gatherings.

The demonstration lasted from 1800-2300 and all USFK members were warned away from the location. At night, the gathering at the Seoul Plaza lit candles reminiscent of the candle light vigils of 2002. Skits were performed on stage that reflected the theme of "One Corea" and those with a nationalistic bent -- aimed at the American military.

“The United States should immediately stop threatening North Korea and secure peace on the Korean Peninsula,” said Jung Gwang-hoon, the representative of the reunification organization. “The United States should make a non-aggression pact with North Korea.” The participants held a candlelight funeral service for the two teenage girls who were run over by a U.S. armored vehicle last year at around 8 p.m.

There were many appearances by pop singers who sang for the peace of the two Koreas. The performances are quite good! The show stopper were the little kids in red kerchiefs like their Northern counterparts. Speeches were minimal. As the sunset, the group lit candles reminiscent of the protests of 2002. Plenty of songs and the group was having a good time. Songs revolved around "Let's Make Peace" and "One Corea." (See Voice of the People: VIDEO of performances and speeches.)

Unification Rally Seoul Plaza: Candlelit (15 Aug 03)

There was very little America-bashing except for one choreographed dance routine with a tank prop with an American flag. Pictures of the two girls killed tragically in 2002 were shown and machine gun fire sounds in the background to reinforce the image of the violent USFK. Finally with flag waving reminiscent of the old Mao-tsetung Red Guard era, the main dancer jumps atop the U.S. tank and plant the Korean flag above the American flag painted on the tank. Then they crumble the tank. Point is that Korea will be victorious over the American warmongers. The Unification flag waves in the background. Very powerful images. (See Voice of the People: VIDEO for performances.)

Unification Rally Seoul Plaza: Dance (15 Aug 03)

At the end of the songs, the demonstrators marched on the U.S. Embassy but were blocked by riot police buses. It was more of a photo-op with the large robot, "Robot Taekwon-V," used to "hand" a yellow "no war" fan to the police atop the bus -- as photographers stood by. The police buses were festooned with the yellow "no war" fans of the demonstrators and the demonstration ended peacefully. (See Voice of the People: VIDEO for ending demonstration.)

Unification Rally Seoul Plaza: End of Demonstration (15 Aug 03)

On 16 August, the focus shifted to Yongsan Garrison with a "Peace" March by about 1,500 students and activists combined to send their message to the Americans. The activists formed a human chain demanding that the United States stay out of inter-Korean matters. "We oppose the US’s war maneuvering on the Korean peninsula," chanted the demonstrators, sporting yellow peace ribbons on their wrists as they encircled the Yongsan military base. "The US must sign a non-aggression treaty [with North Korea]." The main theme of the march was that the Americans were not needed at Yongsan and more and should leave. (See Tongil News for more photos.)

The group marched to Yongsan and blocked the streets between Gate 5 and 7. Riot police ringed the base, but no violence was reported. Activists were from both conservative and progressive camps and gathered for separate events outside Yongsan on the 16th. Progressive groups, including Tongilyoundai and committees formed to denounce past "misdeeds" by U.S. forces in Korea, gathered outside Yongsan Garrison's gate number five to demand an end to Washington's "belligerence." Demonstrators said they opposed any moves by the United States that could lead to war on the Korean Peninsula.

The atmosphere seemed to mimic a 1960s peace demonstration. All that was missing was the psychedelic posters. The demonstration was peaceful with the stringing of a yellow ribbon along the trees and pinning peace dove tags to it. The riot police were confronted and taunted by the demonstrators with peace signs, but photos show them with no response. One of the best photos was girls pinning peace ribbons on the riot police. The demonstrators then shouted their "no war" slogans to the Americans of Yongsan hidden behind the walls.

Unification March to Yongsan (16 Aug 03)

On the opposite end of the spectrum, on 16 Aug a small group of Korean veterans groups gathered near Noksapyong subway station close to Yongsan garrison to denounce ``pro-North-Korean'' elements within South Korean society. The demonstrators also formed a human chain to show continued support for the U.S. military presence in Korea.

Vet Group near Yongsan (16 Aug 03)

Other Independence Day Demonstrations (15-16 Aug) To offset the anti-American/pro-North Korean activism, a Pro-USFK/Anti-North Korea rally was also held in Seoul.

Supported mainly by Veteran groups and conservative politicians, this was not widely publicized in the local press. However, the crowd was estimated at over 5000.

Between 5000-6000 members from conservative civic groups such as Free Citizens Alliance of Korea, Korea Veterans Association and Korea Freedom League gathered in front of Seoul City Hall at around 4 p.m. to protest against North Korea’s nuclear program and its leader Kim Jong-il. Then they marched to Seoul Station. The demonstrators urged Kim Jong-il to stop abusing the human rights of North Koreans and to release political prisoners immediately.

The gathering was attended by the chairman of the Grand National Party Choi Byeong-ryeol and the chairman of the National Congress of Freedom and Democracy Lee Cheol-seung. "The nation is under attack by pro-North Korea groups such as Hanchongryun and the Korea Teachers and Educational Workers Union," said Lee Chul-seung, chairman of the Korea Freedom League. "President Roh Moo-hyun should expel such groups from the country." Chairman Lee said in his speech that “the former president Kim Dae-jung destroyed the nation by denying the founding spirit and the legitimacy of this nation and followed the will of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.”

Some very harsh words were posted on the main platform "Bring the Traitor to Justice." The protest is over Kim Dae-jung giving money to the North for the 2000 summit scandal was depicted in some banners demanding that he be "brought to justice."

German doctor Norbert Vollertsen, who helped North Korean refugees, criticized Kim Jeong-il, saying that North Korea people’s famine was caused by Kim Jong-il`s misuse of food to maintain his dictatorship. They flew a big ad-balloon with a banner on which was written, “Let`s fight against forces that restrain the relationship between South Korea and the U.S.”

The demonstrators toppled the image of Kim Jong-Il to symbolize what happened to Saddam Hussein's statue in the Iraq War. A portrait of Kim Jong-Il was burned. The protestors attempted to burn the North Korean flag but the riot police moved in to extinguish the flames. The police had previously put out the policy that NO national flags would be burned. (NOTE: Though North Korea is a non-entity technically as the ROK doesn't recognize it as a state, the burning of the DPRK flag could cause damage to the on-going cultural exchanges.)

Anti-North Korea rally in Seoul (15 Aug 03)

An interesting result of this anti-North Korea rally was that on 18 Aug, the DPRK abruptly cancelled its participation in the World Student Games (Universiade), saying that the ROK had become too dangerous for its citizens. The semi-official Committee for Peaceful Unification of the Fatherland said in a statement that the DPRK will not take part in the games as the ROK had become a "very dangerous place" for North Koreans. It took issue with recent anti-Pyongyang rallies held by right-wing groups in the South, which the statement said were an affront to North Korea and its leader Kim Jong-Il. It accused ROK authorities of "turning a blind eye" to provocations by "extreme right wing groups." "It has become obvious that we can not send our athletes to the university games in the South which has become a dangerous place where people do harm to the safety and dignity of their own brothers," it said.

In response, on 19 Aug President Roh expressed "deep regret" over the burning of North Korean flags. According to the Korea Herald on 20 Aug, Roh told his senior staff at Cheong Wa Dae, "It was inappropriate to burn the North's flags and effigies of Chairman Kim Jong-il." "I hope this never happens again." The president also ordered the Ministry of Unification to take "appropriate actions" to prepare for North Korea before the World University Games opens tomorrow in Daegu. The government should show its regret over the incident as it did always when there was a similar act of insult on the Stars and Stripes," he said.

Political analysts said that "President Roh's expression of regret far exceeds the North's political demand." Jeon Hyun-joon, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification. In diplomacy, such an expression of regret by the chief of state is regarded as being equivalent to an apology, said Yang Moo-soo, a researcher at the Institute for Far East Studies of Kyungnam University.

Then the North reversed itself with the statement, "Although belated, the South side had to express regret, which clearly means an apology, and promise to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents," the committee said. Officials of the Daegu Universiade Organizing Committee (DUOC) considered Roh's remarks as having met the minimum requirement of North Korea's insistence that the South Korean government apologize for the burning of the flag as well as an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il during a protest on the Liberation Day on 15 Aug.

Roh came under immediate fire from conservative elements. According to NAPSNET on 20 Aug: "Following an apology by South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, North Korea said it would show "patriotic will and broad magnanimity" and send In a move that drew sharp criticism that he kowtowed to the DPRK." They pointed out that he had NEVER expressed regret over the burning of the American flag, but had done so for the DPRK flag -- though in his public statement he said the ROK "always" showed its regret. Only once did he show "regret" over an anti-American incident on 7 August. (See Protests: August 2003 for details.)

Lee Jun-ho, head of a conservative netizens' group, called the Democratic Alliance of Netizens, was caught burning a North Korean flag in front of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on 12 Aug in protest of Roh's actions. He protested that it was NOT against the constitution to burn a North Korean flag -- unlike the U.S. flag -- and refused to pay the 50,000 won fine ($48). A Seoul court suspended the fine and Lee will not have to pay the it unless he commits the same offense within the next two years. (NOTE: The National Police Agency said it had decided to ban the burning of any national flag, including North Korea's. But there is no legal ground to punish a violator. Under Korean law, North Korea is not considered an independent state. Thus, a person who burned its flag cannot be charged with affronting a national flag. The only legal ground to punish such acts would be the ban on arson during a rally. If demonstrators chose to shred, instead of burn, a North Korean flag, the police would have no ground to stop the action.)

According to the Joongang Ilbo on 20 Aug, "Conservative groups in the South rose up in denunciation of Mr. Roh's action, complaining that the president had given in to the North's pressure. "How can you compare a legal organization's burning North Korean flags in a legitimate rally with illegal groups' burning U.S. flags in unlawful demonstrations?" Kim Gu-bu, secretary-general of the Free Citizens Alliance for Korea, said yesterday. ... The opposition Grand National Party also criticized Mr. Roh fiercely, accusing him of failing to differentiate between an ally and an enemy."

The DPRK delegation arrived in Pusan on 19 Aug. (See Universiade Flap for more details.)

Other small Unification demonstrations were held throughout the country by student activists. Most involved handing out leaflets promoting the "no war" stance. Various children's activities were organized throughout the country based on the Unification theme. Other groups also held separate rallies. For example, there was also a small rally of unionists held in Seoul on 15 Aug.

On 13 Aug South Korean victims of Japanese atrocities during World War II were blocked from submitting their written declarations to relinquish Korean citizenship to Cheong Wa Dae. Several organizations of elderly citizens forced to serve as sex slaves or manual laborers by Imperial Japan in the 1940s announced their intention last month to submit the declarations to the government timed with Aug. 15 Liberation Day in protest at Seoul's lukewarm position toward their demands for proper compensation.

On 16 Aug throughout the country there were smaller gatherings of other NGO groups to demonstrate for their own personal objectives dealing with unification. For example, a small group of women supporting the Unification and removal of Americans from Yongsan gathered in a Seoul park.

Unfortunately, the news attention of the demonstration was drawn away by the massive protests in Puan over the nuclear reactor being situated on Wedo Island. The government decided on 13 Aug to provide Puan County with a special grant worth 10 billion won (US$8.49 million) for hosting the nation's first nuclear dump site. The government selected 20 priority projects to develop Puan County. The government decided to fulfill its reneged on promises, but it was too late. The movement had spread throughout Puan and encompassed citizens from all walks of life. On 13 Aug, about 500 local residents blocked the Seohae expressway along the west coast to protest the government's plan to build a nuclear waste dump on nearby Wedo islet. The residents occupied a section of the Seohae Expressway in Puan at around 4:50 p.m. On 15 Aug in Puan, the streets were painted with grafitti and large crowds in excess of 5,000 gathered to block the streets. All the roads in Puan were blocked to the vacation traffic to the tourist beaches of Kyokpo and Pyongsan. On 17 Aug over 80 people from Puan were taken into police custody Sunday after another protest. A segment of western coast highway were paralyzed in the afternoon as some 200 Puan residents demonstrated by driving their cars below 50km per hour.

Changing Face of Student Radicals An article in the Donga Ilbo on 19 Aug stated that the student movement seems to be changing in its composition of "strikers" -- the assault troops of the the radical students -- who are freshman and sophmores, while the leaders stay safely in the background are juniors and seniors. It is interesting that the recruits must have no previous record -- which will assure them probation when they get to court because of their age and record.

600 Demolition Squad Members of NUS In Activity

by Heon-Jin Lee (mungchii@donga.com)

The police said on Aug.19, “As the investigation goes ahead, it throws light upon the whole case,” and added, “We arrested Mr. Kim (27,·K University senior), leader of strikers in the National Unification Scouters (NUS) on a charge of pulling the wire behind the scene, and we are also chasing after 4 to 5 more people on same charges.

The police expects that the NUS, which is under the command of the National Students` Union on National Unification, is comprised of 3 organizations with around 200 members respectively and some of the members are involved in the raids against U.S. Army facilities in Korea including the recent ‘raid strike against USFK of Far Eastern Engineering Troops in Seoul’. The whole picture of their demonstration, revealed by the police investigation, is rather appalling.

Recruitment of Strikers

Around 9 in the morning of the D-day, five to six striker`s leaders of the NUS including Mr. Kim, immediately began to recruit new members to the demolition squad, following the direction from the interim executive conference of the Metropolitan area.

Selection points were ‘lower classes students with no criminal records and with strong commitment to struggle.’ At that time, around 200 members of the NUS were staying together at Chungang University in Seoul. The police think that seniors of the NUS such as Mr. Kim, recruited new members for the demolition squad based on personal relations. It only took 1-2 hrs to raise new members.

Mr. Kim told the younger ones, “It`s highly possible for us to get caught up by the police and taken into custody.” Still, they were willing to join the demolition squad.

As the direction indicated, 8 out of 12 arrested on that day were either freshmen or sophomores, and there was only one senior. It was different from the demonstration in last Feb, when the Federation of Korean Students illegal occupied the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. At that time, the majority of students were juniors or seniors.

Cautious Scenario

These people moved according to a careful scenario they had prepared beforehand. At around noon that day, when given the ordered to move, they got on to cabs in 3 groups of 4 people and went to Dongguk University. There, three journalists including one from the liberal Internet media ‘Voice of People’ and a ‘guide whose name is unknown’. On the car that was heading to the USKF Shooting Range, the guide endowed them with tasks. Each members were given detailed tasks, ranging from ‘taking out the Stars and Stripes’, ‘spraying thinner onto the flag’, ‘lighting it up’, and ‘checking people who are obstructing the task’.

Eventually at 4:55p.m, they made a surprise attack on the USFK in the twinkling of an eye and ‘successfully’ accomplished the plan. It only took 7 hrs to be recruited as a demolition squad member and to carry out the task.

A police official said, “The fact that the new members blindly followed orders from their seniors despite the expected great repercussion of demonstration and even though it was taking place in a dangerous shooting range shows that they were thoroughly prepared psychologically.”

A Ready to Die Resolution

The demolition squad members wrote a resolution before going to Dongguk University that day. They wrote a resolution together on an A4 paper which was mainly about, “Those wicked American…(omitted)…I will sacrifice by self to prevent war on the Korean Peninsula and do by best to secure peace for my people.”

A police official said, “It is the first time we got this type of resolution since 2000,” and added, “I am worried that it might be a sign that student movement is becoming radical once again.”

The police is focusing on the fact that the squad members did not run away or hid their faces that they were seemingly not concerned whether they get arrested or not.

One police official said, “More facts will surface with further investigation.”

Nuclear dump sparks boycott

Almost 70 percent of elementary school students did not attend classes yesterday in Buan, North Jeolla province, as they and their parents joined in a protest against the construction of a nuclear disposal facility on Wido Island.

The Buan Educational Office said that 2,760 elementary students out of 4,043 in the area joined in the boycott. About 12 percent of middle school students did not attend classes, school administrators also said.

Most elementary and middle schools ended their classes before noon. Several schools said they would close down for the few days remaining in the month.

The educational office said it was concerned about low attendance as students with more than 74 absent days out of the 220 during the year cannot register for higher grades.

About 3,000 local residents held a protest in front of fishery cooperative fund building, saying that they would continue the school boycott until the local government withdraws the plan to build the nuclear facility. The protesters demanded Kim Jong-gyu, the local magistrate, resign.

Protesters, who were holding a candlelight demonstration on Sunday, accidentally set a fire at an office next to a government building. The Buan police said that the financial damage was estimated as 6.6 million won ($5,500).

Meanwhile, other residents seeking to end the nuclear project in Buan said that they hoped to negotiate with the government under some conditions.

"One of the most important conditions to talk with the government is that the government should correct procedural error in deciding Buan as the place to build such a facility," said Goh Young-jo, the spokesman of the committee.

"Then, we would talk with the government whether the facility is really necessary and it is as safe as the government had told us," Goh said.

by Seo Hyung-sik

"It was inappropriate to burn the North's flags and effigies of Chairman Kim Jong-il," Roh told his senior staff at Cheong Wa Dae. "I hope this never happens again." The president also ordered the Ministry of Unification to take "appropriate actions" to prepare for North Korea before the World University Games opens tomorrow in Daegu. "The government should show its regret over the incident as it did always when there was a similar act of insult on the Stars and Stripes," he said.

Political analysts say that North Korea will likely accept Roh's 'political apology' and send its athletes to the student games. "President Roh's expression of regret far exceeds the North's political demand. North Korea will accept it as a political apology and express its willingness to participate in the Universiade again," said Jeon Hyun-joon, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification. In diplomacy, such an expression of regret by the chief of state is regarded as being equivalent to an apology, said Yang Moo-soo, a researcher at the Institute for Far East Studies of Kyungnam University.

Roh Moves to Keep S-N Ties on Keel
Becomes 1st Head of State to Offer Apology to North Korea

By Kim Ki-tae
Staff Reporter

By expressing regret over the burning of North Korean flags and photos of its leader Kim Jong-il during a demonstration last Friday, President Roh Moo-hyun accepted North Korea's demand for an apology from Seoul.

Even with the indirect format of the statement, it is the first time a South Korean head of state has issued apologetic words to Pyongyang.

According to presidential watchers, the liberal president has at least three reasons for having said what no predecessor has.

First, he needs to inject life back into the Daegu Universiade simply because just about the only highlight of an otherwise low profile sporting event was Pyongyang's participation.

Second, he feels the need to bolster his resume as a liberal head of state with the intent of keeping inter-Korean relations as friendly as possible. The 57-year-old head of state has gone a long way to polish his progressive image _ talking friendly to the United States during his May trip to Washington, taking out the dirty laundry from the 2000 inter-Korean summit and dealing with pro-North Korean student activists more severely than he would have liked. In the process, he has sacrificed his political capital to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Kim Dae-jung, the crusader of reconciled Korean relations.

Third, Roh is looking ahead to the six-way talks designed to handle the North Korean nuclear weapons issue later this month. Frosty relations between the Koreas would likely lessen Seoul's influence during the first round of talks. However, how the North will respond and what it has in mind is, of course, another matter entirely. The exceptional comments mirror Roh's determination to talk the North back into attending the Daegu Universiade and keep up the momentum of inter-Korean relations, especially with the six-way talks in Beijing just eight days away.

During his presidential campaign, Roh vowed to basically build on the former administration's ``sunshine'' policy of engaging North Korea, with some changes in policy shown since the inauguration in February. Roh's comments triggered boisterous opposition from conservatives. The opposition Grand National Party criticized the comment in an official statement.

``Roh has kept silent on the internal ideological dispute but gave a swift answer to North Korea's demand. It is like putting the cart in front of the horse,'' party spokesman Park Jin said. However, the opposition party did not raise its criticism to the level that was expected, as the Universiade host city of Daegu would be hit hard if the North Korean delegation, a darling of the media, ends up boycotting the international sporting event. The southeastern city is one of the strongest power bases for the conservative party.

By suddenly shifting policy, Roh could not help but embarrass the Unification Ministry and his national security advisor Ra Jong-yil, both of whom a day before asserted the government would not accept the North's demand for an apology.

``Roh's administration has been criticized for blowing hot and cold during key policymaking processes. This is another example,'' a professor in Seoul said, requesting anonymity.

``Especially with inter-Korean relations, consistency and credibility are key virtues,'' he added. Concerning the sudden change in policy, some point out that there could have been behind the scenes inter-Korean consultations concerning the level of apology given.

According to sources, the government was considering various formats to placate North Korea's anger and allow the country an avenue to participate in the sporting event.

One of the cards played is known to be the president's open promise ensuring the safety of North Korea's delegation while here.

kt-kim@koreatimes.co.kr

The DPRK delegation arrived in Pusan on 19 Aug. The DPRK athletes were greeted in Taegu by more than 300 cheering South Koreans, many waving the Unification flag which represents the divided Korean peninsula. Following last year's Asian Games in Pusan, this is the second time the DPRK has sent a delegation to an international sporting event hosted by the ROK since the division of Korea in 1948. "Brothers in the South, we are happy to see you," the head of the DPRK delegation, Jon Guk-Man, said at Pusan airport. Some 300 DPRK cheerleaders, most of them women, arrived at Pusan afterwards and were also given an enthusiastic welcome by hundreds of South Koreans. (See Tongil News for DPRK Che