National Defense Security Command, Resumes Illegal Civilian Surveillance

Congresswoman Lee Jung Hee released a notebook which belongs to an officer of the National Defense Security Command who had been tailing after some people including a NGO worker.

» Congresswoman Lee Jung Hee (Democratic Labor Party) is showing a National Defense Security Command officer's ID card, military vehicle registration card, and a notebook claiming that he was illegally tailing a dozen people including some NGO members and a Democratic Labor Party employee. -Kim, Bongkyu bong9@hani.co.kr

There is a new claim that the National Defense Security Command has been illegally spying on and filming civilians. As the responsibilities of the National Defense Security Command are limited to military information gathering, criticism of it for spying on civilians and invading their privacy is inevitable.

On August 12, 2009, congresswoman Lee Jung Hee (Democratic Labor Party) held a press conference at the National Assembly saying, "It turned out that Lee Myung-Bak administration spied on several civilians through the National Defense Security Command." She also presented a notebook, an ID, and video clips which belong to officer Shin who was at the Pyeong-Taek demonstration. Those who attended the demonstration had gathered to condemn the heavy-handed tactics used by the police to suppress the Ssang-yong Automobile Union's protest.

The notebook shows evidence of police surveillance of civilians, including NGO workers and a Democratic Labor party employee (none of whom have a connection with the military), organized by date and time and taking place in January and July this year. The records note such activities as trips to a market to buy underwear, eating Bul-go-gi and cold noodles at a restaurant, and going out for Karaoke. It basically shows that there was a 24-hour surveillance on these civilians.

A page written on July 24 shows 'CCTV installation' and 'working with police', and so it raises the question of whether the police are collaborating with the National Defense Security Command in their civilian surveillance program. Also a memo on May 11 has a list of demands such as access to a full-size car and leasing a property long-term, suggesting that the surveillance was intended to be both systematic and ongoing. The notebook listed the names of 16 people including 7 civilians and 1 Democratic Labor Party employee.

The released video clips show that the National Defense Security Command officer secretly filmed the civilians as they carried out ordinary activities such as waiting for a bus and entering and leaving their apartments and offices.

Ms. Lee said, "The National Defense Security Command cannot investigate or gather information on civilians except as necessary for national security or military defense. According to the Military Law Article 44, spying on civilians is an illegal activity, therefore the authorities must find the people responsible and investigate it."

A statement released by the National Defense Security Command stated, "The Captain [i.e., the official who carried out the surveillance] went to Pyeong-Taek because an officer suspected of carrying out unlawful acts with regard to national security was likely to participate in the protest during his furlough. He [Captain Shin] was not spying on civilians, but was investigating them for any evidence of criminal activity related to the military."

By Hojin Song dmzsong@hani.co.kr

translated from http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/society_general/370912.html

Huh Kyung young, releasing an album

Huh, Kyung-young. He is the most ridiculous guy in South Korea now. Most Koreans thought he was a joke when he ran in the presidential election in 2007.

Below is from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huh_Kyung-young).

Huh Kyung-young (Korean: 허경영, Hanja: 許京寧, born July 13, 1947) is a South Korean politician, chief of the Economic Republican Party (경제공화당, 經濟共和黨), and singer.

He became famous for making bizarre claims such having an IQ of 430 and possessing supernatural powers of teleportation and faith healing. In addition, he claimed that he was a secret adviser of South Korea's former military ruler, president Park Chung Hee (one of Huh's famous slogan is 'The Second Park Chung Hee') and said that he would like to marry Park Geun Hye, a famous Korean politician.

He was recently accused of defrauding his party members and defaming Park Geun Hye. During the elections, Huh had spread a photo of himself, allegedly taken with U.S. President George W. Bush. The photo was later proven to be doctored. Later, he was taken to prison.

In July 23, he was released due to the expiration of his punishments. But, he continues his odd claims such that he had seen the ghosts of Roh Moo-hyun and Michael Jackson 3 days before they have died.

In Aug 15, The Liberation Day of Korea, he has released his first digital single 콜미(Call Me).

I found his song on youtube, and I've been singing it since then. It's very addictive.

(Huh Kyung Young)

Look at my eyes, you will become happy. Look at my eyes, you will become healthy.

Call 'Huh Kyung Young', you will smile. Call 'Huh Kyung Young', you will pass your exam.

Sing my song, you will lose weight. Sing my song, you will get taller.

Call 'Huh Kyung Young', you will become prettier. Call 'Huh Kyung Young', you will become more handsome.

If you call my name morning, afternoon, evening 3 times a day, you will be smiling. Don't hesitate, right now!

(female singer)~~ I want you, I want your phonecall, right now. Don't be afraid, call my name.

(Huh Kyung Young)

Something exciting will happen. Something fun will happen.

Something happy will happen. Something surprising will happen.

Look at my eyes, you will become healthy. Call 'Huh Kyung Young', you will pass your exam.

Sing my song, you will lose weight. Call 'Huh Kyung Young', you will smile.

If you call my name morning, afternoon, evening 3 times a day, you will be smiling. Don't hesitate, right now!

(female singer)~~ I want you, I want your phonecall, right now. Don't be afraid, call my name.

(Huh Kyung Young)

Are you tired? Call Huh Kyung Young! Are you nervous? Look at my eyes.

Are you sad? Sing my song. Are you depressed? Call Huh Kyung Young!

Are you worried? Look at my eyes. Are you anxious? Sing my song.

When you are bored, call Huh Kyung Young. When you are sick, look at my eyes.

If you call my name morning, afternoon, evening 3 times a day, you will be smiling. Don't hesitate, right now!

Dokdo

It's not been so long since Koreans first heard of 'Takeshima'. The Japanese government has claimed Dokdo as its territory and calls it 'Takeshima'. Dokdo has been Korea's territory for the last 1500 years. Japan wants to get negative attention from Korea hoping this dispute would be brought to the International Court. Korea doesn't need to get any confirmation about its OWN territory.

Dokdo is located 89km southeast from Uleungdo of Korea, and is consisted of 2 main islands called Dongdo and Seodo, and 33 attached small rocks and reefs. The gross area is 186,121 square meters.

Dokdo had long been called by various Korean names such as Usando, Sambongdo, Gajido and Seokdo. The most recent name of the island, Dokdo was first used in 1906.

Dokdo has been the territory of Korea since when Usanguk was annexed to Silla in 512 AD. The fact that Dokdo (Usando) belonged to Joseon (Chosun) along with Uleungdo was well known not only to Japan but also to the West. In 1737, famous French geologist D'Anville's 'Map of Joseon (Royaume de Coree)' marked Dokdo (Usando) as a territory of Joseon. Uleungdo and Dokdo were drawn very close to the East Sea of Korea.

'Eunjusicheonghapgi' published by Japanese government in 1667, which they claimed as the fisrst document that recorded Dokdo, actually recorded that Uleungdo(Takeshima in Japanese then) and Dokdo(Matsushima in Japanese then) belonged to Goryeo (Koryo) and that the northwestern border of Japan is at Okishima.

To read more about Dokdo, visit below.

http://www.forthenextgeneration.com/dokdo/

http://www.forthenextgeneration.com/images/dok/dokdo_english.pdf

President Kim’s state funeral

S. Korea expresses gratitude and longing for departing president, and mourners keep his last wishes close to their heart

» Mourners visit the incense-burning place for late President Kim Dae-jung at Seoul Plaza, Aug 23.

He has gone far away, this man whose aching legs and swollen feet that made it difficult for him to walk even a few steps. He was accompanied on his way by mittens and chestnut-colored socks knitted by his wife for his hands and feet that had grown colder with every step. Where is he going without his cane, the one that helped him walk whenever democracy, human rights and peace between South Korea and North Korea lost their legs? Aug 23, a day of the year normally associated with the end of the summer heat, was particularly cheerless and carried a sorrowful energy.

The state funeral ceremony for former President Kim Dae-jung was held Sunday in front of the National Assembly building. The memorial address expressed a wish to hold onto him, “Are you really saying goodbye to us forever? The mountains and rivers of a divided South Korea and North Korea are choking with tears. Where do we turn now when something terrible happens in the country?”

To read more, go to

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/372757.html

the former President Roh Moohyun's apology

The President Lee Myung-Bak hasn't apologized for 6 deaths from the Yong-San incident which happened back in January 2009, and the following apology by the former President Roh Moo-hyun for the death of 2 farmers from a demonstration in 2005 shows clear contrast between two of them. --nurungji

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On December 27, 2005, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun publicly apologized for the deaths of two protesters who suffered fatal injuries during a clash with riot police a month before in Seoul.

The two men were in a group of rice farmers demonstrating against plans to open South Korea's rice market to international competition. They died several weeks after the mid-November clash in Seoul (one in a series of protests denouncing the policies of the World Trade Organization, which met earlier this month in Hong Kong).

Dear respected citizens,

There was a decision made by the National Human Rights Commission that the death of Yongchul Jun and Dukpyo Hong is caused excessive repression by the police. And the police expressed its acceptance of the decision.

It is a deeply regretful matter. I bow my head and sincerely apologize. I pray for the souls of Mr. Jun and Mr. Hong, and I send my apology and condolences to the families.

Following the advice given by the National Human Rights Commission, we will reprimand the people responsible, and will make appropriate compensation for the victims' families through proper procedures. And I will discipline the police and make sure that such thing never happens again.

I acknowledge that there might be concerns, especially among those of you who sent a son to serve in a special police force, regarding the safety and morale of the police who perform its duties and who faces violence by protesters regularly.

The public power is performed by human beings and it is possible for the executors to lose rationality when they get emotional or confused. So, there may be some extent of criticism for asking only the police to be responsible, even when the violence is caused by the protesters who used heavy tools.

However, the public power is a unique power. As it can be enormously dangerous to people if overused or abused, public power must be controlled and exercised only in a calm and collected manner and therefore holds a heavier responsibility.

I would like to clarify this both to citizens and civil servants.

Also, this tragedy wouldn't have happened if there was no violent demonstration to begin with. For this, the government and the society will have to work on it together. The government will prepare measures to prevent similar cases.

Citizens, I deeply apologize again and assure you that such thing will never happen again. Thank you.

President Roh, Moohyun

Translated from http://www.seoprise.com/board/view.php?table=seoprise_12&uid=78131