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At 11am, the first meeting of representatives of the "National Coalition Against the National Security Law (NCNSL)" was held in conjunction with an establishment rally at Christian Hall, Chongno district, Seoul.

The central objective of the NCNSL is to abolish Provision 7 of the National Security Law (NSL). In August of 1999, 115 civic groups participated in this movement by proposing that every human rights civic organization join to form a coalition (Daily News, Sep. 2, 1999).

The NCNSL is headed by eighteen founding members, including a board of consultants comprising of Kang Man-Gil, Lee Young-Hee, Han Wan-Sang, and Byun Hyung-Yoon. There are thirteen permanent representatives, including Kim Joo-Bae (Deputy of the Civic Coalition for Public Opinion Reform) and Ji Eun-Hee (Deputy of the Korean Female Organizations). There are also five co-executives, including Park Won-Soon (Vice Deputy Director of the Participants' Coalition)

The NCNSL published the inaugural issue of "Life Times" newspaper, which is devoted to discussion of the NSL, on September 20, 1999. The NCNSL has planned to conduct surveys with jurists and regular citizens about the NSL and to publish the results from the findings. They also plan to a campaign to educate the general population about the NSL. In addition, the NCNSL intends to initiate mass demonstrates during National Assembly sessions. They also made it clear that they will orient their activity to coincide with the end of National Assembly sessions.

In a declaration of establishment, the NCNSL stated that, "There have been opportunities for enhancing human rights since the United Nations Commission on Human Rights recommended to the Korean Government that they abolish Provision 7 of the draconian NSl. Yet in these modern times, conservative powers, who are still living in the Cold War, point to the threats of unification by the People's Republic of Korea, even though they are experiencing a food shortage, and there are increasing amounts of inter-Korean economic cooperation." The declaration also stressed that "Provision 7 of the NSL has been used by past authoritarian governments in Seoul to oppress "inner political dissidents," and as a controlling device to force the self-censorship of the people. As a democratic society, it is an urgent mission for us to form a strong coalition among all forces who agree that Provision 7 should be abolished, since 95% of arrests attributed to the NSL were based on Provision 7.

Prosecution Announces, "No way to Provision 7 of the NSL!"

Suh Joon-Sik, Deputy of Sarangbang for Human Rights Movement and co-executive director of the NCNSL made it clear at the establishment rally that "The prosecution wants the Provision 7 of the NSL to be at least replaced. The NCNSL is opened to any group which strives to abolish Provision 7 of the NSL. It is also open to anyone who wishes to use the NCNSL to revise or abolish Provision 7."

This was an attempt to create participation so the NCNSL could start a mass movement. Professor Lee Young-Hee of Han-Yang University mentioned in a commemoration statement that "Words and ideology will only lead to failure. We must take action now even though we lack power." He also stated that "The abolition of Provision 7 of the NSL is a rational choice, especially when we evaluate the power of the conservatives who have the right to revise the NSL."