On 16 September 2004, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. In December 2004, South Korea's governing Uri Party had put off debate on the bill to scrap the National Security Law (NSL) until 2005. President Roh Moo-hyan has called for the abolishment of the law, but the opposition Grand National Party said scraping the law would create a legal vacuum in the country, which is still technically at war with the North.

A national-level campaign was held between 1 and 9 December 2004, during the National Assembly session. The campaign was organized by People's Solidarity to Abolish the National Security Law, and among the planned activities was a rally on 5 December in front of the National Assembly.

The campaign was joined by 9 South Korean Catholic priests from the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice (CPAJ) who held 14-day fast starting from 18 November 2004 at the Seoul Federation of Catholic Students chapel. Father Joseph Kim Young-sik, the secretary of CPAJ led a Mass to end its members' fast at Seoul's Myongdong Cathedral on 1 December 2004. About 100 laypeople and religious participated.

Father Francis Xavier Na Seong-goo, one of the CPAJ priests who fasted, noted in a recent survey that when CPAJ priests first fasted for NSL abolition in 1999, about 70 percent of South Koreans supported its abolition, but recently only 49 percent wanted its abolition. He claimed that the media publicizes "false information" that convinces people the law is needed.

Hotline Asia has issued three Urgent Appeals, UA990628(9), UA991004(17) and UA991206(18) in 1999 to support the Korean's efforts.

Source:
UCAN News
South China Morning Post

On 16 September 2004, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Louise Arbour urged South Korea to scrap its National Security Law (NSL), saying it could lead to human rights abuses. Mr. Arbour said in a news conference in Seoul that the anti-communist law has often been used to crack down on human rights activities in South Korea.

Meanwhile, the local groups continue their effort for the abolishment of NSL. The Korean network to abolish National Security Law started sit-in protest in front of the national assembly for an indefinite period starting 2 November. Catholic groups who gather in solidarity to abolish the NSL include the Catholic Human Rights Committee. They gathered on 10 November 2004 for prayer and a mass in the same place. Materials regarding the NSL will be sent to all parishes, to be used and read during mass and lectures.

The struggle for the abolishment of NSL has been long going. Hotline Asia issuedUA991004(17), UA991206(18) and UA001222(18) to call for international solidarity to abolish the draconian legislation that leads to human rights abuse.

Source:
National Human Rights Institutions Forum
Local source

On 24 August 2004, the full Commission of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of Korea, in a majority decision of 8 in favour of abolition and 2 against, recommended to the Chairman of the National Assembly and the Minister of Justice to completely abolish the National Security Law (NSL). The NHRC's Chairman, Kim Chang-kuk, stated "The current National Security Law has caused constant disputes over its acts against human rights due to its arbitrary application and the shortfalls of its regulations themselves…. amendments on certain texts could not heal the human rights violations on a large scale done by the National Security Law."

In January 2003, the NHRC of Korea had formed a task force team to study the NSL. After three sittings, the NHRC decided to recommend repeal of the NSL.

The call for the abolition of NSL has been a long on-going battle for the Koreans. In 1999, Hotline issued three urgent appeals UA990628(9), UA991004(17) and UA991206(18) in support of their efforts, and this year, the support to achieve the unattained goal continued.

Source:
ACHR Features