U.S. Troops Out of Korea Now!
• Vigorously Support Korean Reunification!
• South Koreans Demand the Resignation of President Lee Myung Bak
Candlelight Protests in South Korea Grow Broader• Candlelight Actions Unabated in South Korea Patriotic Era Full of Vitality with Bright Future
• Statement of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League
DPRK-U.S. Negotiations Prove Successful
U.S. Steps Up Arming of South Korea
Criminal U.S. Germ and Chemical Warfare
• Text of North-South Joint Declaration
Vigorously Support Korean Reunification!
June 15, 2008 marked the eighth anniversary of the signing of the historic Korean North-South Joint Declaration by then President Kim Dae-Jung of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-Il of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). This event ushered in the “June 15 Era” of national reunification of Korea, guided by on the principles of “By Our Nation Itself.” The principles laid out in the declaration provide a framework for 70 million Koreans to jointly work without foreign interference to peacefully achieve national reunification. Reunification is the deepest desire of all Koreans everywhere, since the country was divided by the U.S. imperialists following the Second World War.
These past eight years have made clear that Koreans as one nation are determined to achieve reunification, through their own efforts. Koreans north and south have shown their determination to prevent U.S. imperialism from subjugating all of Korean as part of its drive to take over Asia and achieve world empire. This can be seen today in the massive demonstrations in south Korea opposing the current government’s call to submit to U.S. domination and calling for reunification. It can be seen in the reality of a unified Korean team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It can be seen in the DPRK’s readiness to negotiate a nuclear-free Korean peninsula, despite the continued U.S. efforts to keep its nuclear weapons there.
The U.S. endlessly promotes disinformation about the DPRK, much as it did with Iraq and continues to do with Iran. The U.S. is notorious for its aggression and interference worldwide, including its occupation of south Korea with more than 30,000 troops and dozens of military bases. It is the U.S. which yearly organizes massive military games in the area, using its nuclear powered and armed submarines and aircraft carriers. It is the U.S. that promises first-strike aggression with nuclear weapons. Yet with all its nuclear weapons and its history of using them against the people of Japan, the U.S. proclaims the DPRK as the “nuclear-threat.”
The DPRK has invaded no one and threatens no one. It has stood firm in defending its sovereignty. It has the right to develop weapons for its self-defense. The strong stands of the DPRK against U.S. aggression and for reunification are important contributions to peace. They are based on the principles of rejecting aggressive war and defending the rights of the people, in the DPRK and worldwide.
In addition to its threats and war games, the U.S. has repeatedly sabotaged the six-party talks, a diplomatic effort to resolve issues of conflict in the region. The talks include the U.S, ROK, DPRK, China, Japan and Russia. Consistent with its responsibilities, the DPRK is dismantling its nuclear reactor. It recently issued an extensive report concerning its work with nuclear energy and plutonium production. The report showed that U.S. claims concerning the amount of plutonium produced were exaggerated, as part of justifying claims that the DPRK is the “threat.” As well, the U.S. refuses to implement agreements, such as providing light-water reactors to the DPRK. It continues to impose sanctions and exert pressure on the south Korean government to oppose reunification. The fraudulent North Korea Human Rights Act openly calls for “regime change” in the DPRK. We say Hands Off Korea! All U.S. Troops Out Now!
Much of the U.S. justification echoes that used to justify invasion of Iraq and aggression toward Iran. Indeed, Bush and now McCain give Korea as the example for the type of long-term occupation planned for Iraq. Given these facts, it is the U.S. and its war plans and disinformation that cannot be trusted and every effort made to defend the rights of the DPRK and the Korean nation as a whole.
In addition the U.S. has blocked UN aid. The U.S. claimed the DPRK had diverted UN funds for use in weapons sales. A recent UN report found the U.S. allegations were “not supported by any evidence,” just like their false claims about Iraq and Iran. Yet they served to stop UN funds for more than one year.
The U.S. made the claim against the DPRK in the name of protecting U.S. tax dollars. This is the same U.S. government responsible for “losing” billions of dollars in Iraq. And for repeatedly giving contracts to monopolies like Halliburton’s KBR, known for the rip off of billions in tax dollars The government itself admits KBR cannot account for billions of dollars they received, including payment for construction of buildings in Iraq that still do not exist. As they have done with Iraq and Iran, Americans must beware the U.S. efforts to demonize the DPRK so as to justify invasion.
The fact that the Korean people are firmly defending the necessity for reunification and advancing that cause stands as a vital bulwark against U.S. war plans. Their struggle for reunification belongs to all the world as an important contribution to world peace.
Despite the U.S. interference, the Korean people have achieved many successes in the last eight years. There has been steady growth in bilateral relations between the north and south on the political, cultural, economic and military fronts. There have been more than 20 family reunification visits that have connected thousands of families that were separated as a result of the Korean War. Tens of thousands of south Koreans have visited north Korea for the first time since the Korean War, and thousands of north Koreans have also visited the south. The Kaesong Industrial Zone, a joint economic development project, continues. Railway trains have crossed the U.S. imposed De-Militarized Zone (DMZ), traveling to Seoul and to Pyongyang and opening up prospects for transporting passengers and goods across the 38th parallel. These exchanges have drawn the Korean people closer together and given them collective confidence in their struggle to achieve reunification and rid the nation of U.S. occupation.
The singular achievement of the Korean movement for reunification has been its steadfastness and adherence to principle in spite of every effort of the U.S. imperialists to sabotage it. The successes of the Korean people in their nation-building project have the full sympathy of all of humanity. Voice of Revolution salutes the Korean people. We denounce U.S. occupation and interference on the Korean peninsula. On this occasion of the eighth anniversary of the June 15 Joint Declaration, we send our warmest revolutionary greetings to the Korean people and their leadership and wish them every success in their historic mission to reunify their nation. By relying on their own efforts, defending their independence and defying the U.S. imperialists on the basis of their principles and convictions they are sure to achieve victory.
Voice of Revolution calls on the American working class and people to step up the work to support the Korean people in achieving reunification. We as Americans have the responsibility to demand that all U.S. troops and weapons be removed from Korea now, that the U.S. disarm all its nuclear weapons and ban the policy of pre-emptive first strike, and immediately act to normalize relations with the DPRK.
U.S. Troops Out of Korea Now!
[TOP]
South Koreans Demand the Resignation
of President Lee Myung Bak
Just over 100 days after he took office, President Lee Myung Bak of south Korea is facing the collapse of his government. Massive protests by south Koreans are demanding his resignation and rejecting his stand to submit to U.S. dictate. This includes U.S. efforts to impose a “free trade agreement” that will greatly harm Korean agriculture and self-sufficiency while increasing U.S. domination. Since coming to office, Lee has also submitted to U.S. demands to stop reunification efforts, a demand widely opposed by demonstrators.
During the last two weeks, in several cities, hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in protest. A main target is Lee’s decision, demanded by the U.S., to lift the ban against U.S. beef. The ban was imposed in 2003 due to a threat of mad-cow disease from the U.S. Before that, south Korea was the third largest export market for U.S. beef, with $800 million in sales. The Koreans are resolutely opposing this and all the actions of Lee.
Since taking office on April 25, 2008, the pro-U.S. Lee has consistently gone against the interests and demands of the Korean people. A main example has been his utter disregard for the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and the October 4 Agreement between the DPRK and the Republic of Korea (ROK).
He also tried to collapse the Unification Ministry, which looks after inter-Korean affairs. He wanted to eliminate it and have just an office in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Lee even tried to suggest that the 10 preceding years of inter-Korean cooperation and relationship building were “lost years.” He would instead take a “pragmatic approach” and “review” the relationship and agreements between north and south. In the face of the demand that U.S. troops must leave Korea immediately, the Lee Myung Bak regime has worked with the Bush administration to consolidate and extend the presence of U.S. troops in south Korea under the pretext of forging a “21st century strategic partnership with the U.S.”
Lee has also tried to implement English as the medium of instruction in south Korean schools claiming that English is the international language. This proposal was met with opposition throughout south Korea. At this point, Lee is the most unpopular president in the history of modern south Korea.
Hundreds of thousands of south Korean workers, teachers, youth, women, religious groups and others have joined the protest to oust the Lee Myung Bak government. Confronted by these massive protests, the south Korean government has called out tens of thousands of riot police to suppress the demonstrators. Water cannons and truncheons have been used against the protesters, but this state violence has only made the people more determined to get rid of the regime.
On June 10, Prime Minister Han Sung Su, Presidential Chief of Staff Ryu U Ik, the minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Foodstuff, the minister of Health, Welfare and Families, the minister of Education, Science and Technology, the minister of Planning and Finance and all other ministers officially offered to resign.
The struggle to defeat Lee’s pro-U.S. government, which has worked against the movement for reunification and against the interests of the Korean people is an expression of the political unity and consciousness of the Korean people. It is serving notice that the Korean people will not submit to U.S. policies and dictate. In their hundreds of thousands, the people of south Korea are representing the drive for reunification and are contributing to the struggle for peace.
[TOP]
Candlelight Protests in South Korea Grow Broader
Candlelight protests in south Korea against U.S. beef imports are growing even broader. An “event on the eve of the one million people candlelight demonstration” was staged in Seoul on June 9 with more than 10,000 people from all walks of life involved.
A candlelight rally was held in the plaza of the City Office on the theme “Let us punish the Lee Myung Bak regime through the one million people candlelight demonstration on June 10!” The participants in the rally held a memorial service for Ri Pyong Ryol, a member of the group Solidarity with the Struggle for Impeachment of Lee Myung Bak, who committed self-immolation in protest against the traitor Lee’s opening of the Korean market to U.S. beef.
At the end of the rally its participants staged a demonstration. Then they gathered again in the plaza of the City Office to hold colorful events including the people’s grand forum.
That day the organization Solidarity for Implementing the South-North Joint Declaration, the Confederation of Trade Unions, the Federation of Trade Unions and the Democratic Labor Party in south Korea separately issued statements expressing their support for the one million people candlelight demonstration.
The Federation of Peasants’ Associations called a press conference where it declared it would take part in the candlelight action on June 10 and, at the same time, hold simultaneous candlelight rallies in 63 regions of south Korea, including Seoul. Elder Christians of south Korea also called a press conference and issued an emergency declaration to express their plans to participate in the June 10 action.
Ri Sung Ho, chairman of the south Korean Council of Youth Organizations, made public an “appeal on the occasion of the one million people candlelight demonstration on June 10.”
The Teachers Union of south Korea held a meeting and also issued a statement, affirming that 90,000 unionists and 400,000 teachers would join in the demonstration. On the same day, the Federation of Government Employees’ Unions, the Court Employees’ Union, the Solidarity of Employees of Autonomous Organizations of Large Cities, the Teachers Union, the Trade Union of Government Employees for Democracy in south Korea jointly issued a public statement of government employees and teachers on the struggle to restore the right to quarantine and defend people’s sovereignty.
[The June 10 action was a great success.]
[TOP]
Candlelight Actions Unabated in South Korea
The candlelight actions being staged by people from all walks of life of south Korea continue. Started in protest against the import of U.S. beef, the actions are now developing into broader struggles against traitor Lee Myung Bak’s unpopular rule. This includes privatization of medical service and public enterprises, commercialization of education and the move to put public broadcasting services under his control.
Following the massive June 10 action, thousands of people, including many people working in the public media, held another candlelight rally in the plaza of the Seoul City Office on June 16. Speakers at the rally denounced Lee Myung Bak for pursuing a policy of privatizing the public broadcasting services and wrecking existing public stations for the benefit of monopolies. The speakers expressed their indignation at Chosun Ilbo, Choongang Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo [the private media] keen on raking up their profits. The said these conservative media outlets have never reported fairly about the people’s struggles, such as the Kwangju Uprising. They said they will not allow the public broadcasting services to be absorbed by conservative media. They rejected government efforts to force public broadcasters to resign and called on all people to defend the public broadcasting services.
At the end of the rally, the participants marched through streets. They gathered in the front of the building of KBS in Youido and staged another candlelight demonstration.
[TOP]
Patriotic Era Full of Vitality with Bright Future
It is an irresistible trend of the times for the Korean nation to vigorously advance the new era of independent reunification, peace and prosperity under the banner of the June 15 joint declaration.
The June 15 era of reunification is a new era of history in which all Koreans work hard to achieve independence and great unity, guided by the idea of “By Our Nation Itself.” “By our nation itself” means all Koreans in the north, south and overseas strive to meet their desire for independence and their interests, settling the issues related to their destiny by their own concerted efforts, without depending on outside forces.
The Korean nation sets store by the June 15 era of reunification in which the spirit of national independence is running high. Big progress is being made in the efforts to achieve national reconciliation and unity, and to preserve what has already been achieved. People from all walks of life in south Korea are now turning out in the massive anti-government actions because the treacherous policy of the Lee Myung Bak group kowtowing and submitting to outside forces has brought such unbearable shame and disillusionment to the nation.
The present June 15 era of reunification also proves that “By Our Nation Itself” is the best [policy] and it is just for Koreans to pave the way to independent reunification, peace and prosperity by their concerted efforts. This is a sacred era of independent reunification whose victory is firmly guaranteed.
Since its seizure of power, the Lee group has made desperate efforts to block the advance of the June 15 era of reunification, cooperating with foreign forces. Nothing can save the Lee group from the abyss of ruin. Nothing can stem the trend of the times where the whole nation is advancing along the road of independent, peaceful reunification.
(Rodong Sinmun is the newspaper of the DPRK’s Workers Party of Korea)
[TOP]
Statement of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League
Tongil Online reported on June 8, 2008 that a spokesman for the Central Committee of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League released a statement on June 7, fully supporting the youth and students and other people of south Korea in the vigorous mass struggle against the Lee Myung Bak government’s anti-national and anti-people moves.
The struggle against the Lee Myung Bak regime is growing fiercer day by day. It is not just a struggle for vital rights against the U.S. beef imports but a just patriotic struggle to defend the independent dignity and rights of the nation and smash the Lee group, it said. The statement went on:
“As is already known, the traitor Lee took the lead in totally reviving the humiliating relations with the U.S. and Japan. He called for ‘priority to south Korea-U.S relations’ and ‘future-oriented south Korea-Japan relations’ contrary to the nation’s desire for independence. He did this as soon as he came to power.
“Under the signboard of ‘pragmatism’ and ‘advance’ the Lee Myung Bak government turned politics in south Korea in the direction of fascist dictatorship, the economy toward civil engineering and construction, the north-south relations toward confrontation and external relationships into that of subordination and submission. Its evil policy against the nation and people has driven the politics of south Korea into utter confusion, made a mess of the economy and scuttled the favorably developing north-south relations. The dignity and sovereignty of the nation are being utterly violated.
“As long as Lee Myung Bak — a fascist tyrant, a foul flunky standing for confrontation — is left intact, the south Korean people will suffer bitter misfortune and pain and the whole nation will be unable to avoid tremendous catastrophe. The south Korean people should never be taken in by the deceptive tricks of the Lee group but continue their vigorous all-out resistance until they remove his government.”
The statement expressed belief that the south Korean youth and students would display their patriotic spirit and indomitable will in the struggle to reject the Lee Myung Bak regime and bring about independent new policy and new life.
[TOP]
DPRK-U.S. Negotiations Prove Successful
The negotiations between nuclear experts of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States were successful, a spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry said on June 12.
The U.S. delegation headed by Sung Kim, head of the Office of Korean Affairs under the State Department, paid a two-day visit to Pyongyang June 10-11. According to the spokesperson, the two sides discussed details on the disabling of the DPRK nuclear facilities, specifically the technical and practical ways to finalize the disabling of the DPRK nuclear facilities and the issue of winding up the political and economic compensation for it.
Under a 2005 multilateral agreement, the DPRK promised to abandon all its nuclear programs in exchange for diplomatic and economic benefits.
Under a subsequent accord, the DPRK agreed to produce a “complete and correct” declaration of all its nuclear programs and to disable its nuclear facilities as a prelude to their eventual dismantlement.
In exchange, the DPRK will receive heavy fuel oil and other economic assistance.
(Sources: China Daily, Korean Central News Agency)
[TOP]
Secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland
U.S. Steps Up Arming of South Korea
The Korean Central News Agency reported on June 8 that the Secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland issued its information bulletin No. 938 on the 20- year-long criminal agreement of the U.S. and the south Korean puppet warmongers, the “agreement on mutual assistance of munitions” aimed at preparations for a war against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The information bulletin held that the U.S. and south Korean authorities should break all the military “agreements” aimed at invading the DPRK, including the “agreement” on munitions. It called on the U.S. and south Korean government to immediately stop the reckless increase in ultra-modern weapons and forces, and joint war drills. These go against the trend of times and contribute to the gravity of the current situation. The U.S. and the south Korean warmongers are nowadays getting ever more pronounced in arms build-up for a war of aggression on the DPRK, it noted, and went on:
The U.S. military warmongers are reinforcing and deploying means for nuclear war and precision weapons including ultra-modern fighter planes and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in and around south Korea. They are reorganizing the U.S. troops in south Korea into a task force under the signboard of transfer of their military bases and realizing “strategic flexibility.”
Meanwhile, the Lee Myung Bak regime is following the U.S. outsiders, openly advocating the “theory of pre-emptive attack” against the DPRK. It is now busy purchasing U.S. weapons and military technology needed for such attacks, including fighter planes of the latest types, air-to-ground cruise missiles and the latest air-to-air missiles. Lee recently visited the U.S. to beg its master to upgrade south Korea’s “status in purchasing U.S.-made weapons.” And he revealed his intention to import 36 armed Apache Longbow Army helicopters.
The Lee Myung Bak regime is scheming to join in the [U.S.-led] Proliferation Security Initiative and the missile defense system that former south Korean governments hesitated to do. Due to the persistent moves of the U.S. and the pro-American bellicose forces of south Korea, the inter-Korean relations favorably developing after the publication of the June 15 Joint Declaration have been scuttled and the military tension and danger of a nuclear war are growing on the Korean Peninsula day by day.
Reality clearly proves that the “dialogue” and “peace” much touted by the U.S. and the Lee Myung Bak group are no more than a veil to mislead public opinion at home and abroad and cover up their aggressive colors. They seek only confrontation and war.
[TOP]
Reparations Now for U.S. War Crimes in Korea
Criminal U.S. Germ and Chemical Warfare
June 25 is the day when U.S. imperialism launched its war of aggression against Korea. Though half a century has passed, the U.S. refuses to apologize and pay reparations for its brutal crimes of biochemical warfare against the peaceable inhabitants and cities of Korea, in gross violation of international law. The Korean War itself (June 25, 1950-July 27, 1953) was a crime of aggression, launched on the pretext of a “threat” from the Koreans, much like the current war against Iraq.
In autumn of 1950, the U.S. Headquarters of the Joint Chiefs of Staff developed a plan to extensively use chemical and biological weapons. The U.S. imperialists used more than 20 kinds of germ weapons during the war. They especially targeted the northern half of Korea for germ and chemical warfare. According to the plan, the U.S. used germ weapons against civilians and cities. In the period from January to April 1952, they dropped various kinds of germ bombs in 169 areas in the northern half of Korea, 804 times. They also used various goods contaminated with poisonous insects and bacteria in more than 90 cities and counties, more than 900 times.
The U.S. also conducted human experiments using bacteria on people on their warships not far off Wonsan. In 1951 they did more than 3,000 experiments on Koreans using these germ weapons. Another U.S. crime was use of chemical weapons, a weapon of mass destruction. From February 1951 to July 1953 many chemical weapons were used in 24 cities and counties of the northern half of Korea including Kangwon and Hwanghae provinces and on battlefields. In particular, the U.S. released more than 15 million napalm bombs on military positions on the front and peaceful cities and farming and fishing villages in the rear.
The U.S. perpetrated massive bio-chemical warfare unprecedented in the history of war at that time, and still they could not defeat the Korean people. In addition to their illegal and brutal chemical and biological warfare, the U.S. dropped more than 428,000 bombs to raze factories, enterprises, educational, cultural and health institutions and houses in Pyongyang. The city was virtually razed to the ground.
In the beginning of the war alone 22,600 civilians in 11 cities and counties including Suwon and Chungju, were slaughtered. When U.S. troops landed in Inchon on September 16, 1950, they massacred some 1,300 citizens. For three days from September 28, they arrested at least 75,000 patriots and civilians, then killed more than 38,800 of them. The U.S. imperialists slaughtered more than a million civilians from the summer of 1950 to the summer of 1951. For more than 50 days occupying Sinchon County in the northern half of Korea (October 1950), the U.S. mercilessly massacred some 35,000 people, one fourth of its population.
Despite its illegal and aggressive war, massive bombings, brutal massacres and chemical and biological warfare, it is the Korean people who prevailed at that time and now today. It is the U.S., then and now, that is threatening war and must be opposed and called to account for all its war crimes in Korea today, as in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and elsewhere.
Reparations Now for U.S. War Crimes in Korea!
[TOP]
Text of North-South Joint Declaration
True to the noble will of all the fellow countrymen for the peaceful reunification of the country, Chairman Kim Jong Il of the National Defense Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and President Kim Dae Jung of the Republic of Korea had a historic meeting and summit in Pyongyang June 13-15, 2000.
The heads of the North and the South, considering that the recent meeting and summit, the first of their kind in history of division, are events of weighty importance in promoting mutual understanding, developing inter-Korean relations and achieving peaceful reunification, declare as follows:
1. The North and the South agreed to solve the question of the country’s reunification independently by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation responsible for it.
2. The North and the South, recognizing that a proposal for federation of lower stage advanced by the North side and a proposal for confederation put forth by the South side for the reunification of the country have elements in common, agreed to work for the reunification in this direction in the future.
3. The North and the South agreed to settle humanitarian issues, including exchange of visiting groups of separated families and relatives and the issue of unconverted long-term prisoners, as early as possible on the occasion of August 15 this year.
4. The North and the South agreed to promote the balanced development of the national economy through economic cooperation and build mutual confidence by activating cooperation and exchanges in all fields, social, cultural, sports, public health, environmental and so on.
5. The North and the South agreed to hold dialogues between the authorities as soon as possible to implement the above-mentioned agreed points in the near future.
President Kim Dae Jung cordially invited Chairman Kim Jong Il of the DPRK National Defense Commission to visit Seoul and Chairman Kim Jong Il agreed to visit Seoul at an appropriate time in the future.
[TOP]