Welcome to BASE21

Ken Roh, Coordinator
Korean-American Human Rights Coalition in Los Angeles
1065 S Holt Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90035, USA
Phone: (213)381-0000 Fax (213)736-5340 e-mail: kroh101968@aol.com

October 29, 1999

We denounce all the atrocities committed by the U.S. Army during the Korean War, in particular the killing of 400 innocent civilians -- including children and the elderly -- in the town of No Gun Ri. We condemn the U.S. and South Korean governments for lying about this shameful act for the past 50 years.

We condemn the U.S. military for demanding blanket immunity even before any meaningful investigation has been launched. We consider this demand for immunity to be a further effort by the responsible parties to cover up the truth about No Gun Ri.

We demand an immediate and full investigation into, as well as full disclosure of, all the facts about No Gun Ri. We demand that the heads of the U.S. and South Korean governments make public apologies to both the dead and living victims of the No Gun Ri massacres, as well as to the people of Korea and the United States. We demand that long overdue punishments be issued against those directly responsible for the massacres, as well as those who have participated in covering up these atrocities for the past 50 years.

Wartime crimes committed against innocent civilians are crimes against all humanity. Failure to bring out the truth about No Gun Ri and other massacres committed before, during, and after the Korean War will put citizens of the world at risk.

We demand that the U.S. and South Korean governments revise the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), also known as the "Korea-America Administrative Agreement," to eliminate impunity for U.S. crimes. For the past 50 years, SOFA has allowed crimes committed by U.S. troops in South Korea to go unpunished and has deprived Korean victims of their rights. From this point forward, any crime committed by U.S. military personnel in Korea must be tried under Korean laws.

We call upon the South Korean president Kim Dae Jung to abolish the National Security Law in its entirety and free the 200 innocent political prisoners of Korea. The National Security Law is a fascist, wartime law created to obstruct freedom of speech and freedom of assembly for the Korean people. Furthermore, by branding North Korea as 'an enemy organization,' it is an immediate barrier to furthering peace and reunification in Korea.

This law is outdated and inappropriate at a time when the U.S. and North Korea are working to normalize relations. The people of Korea and all peace-loving people around the world desire an immediate abolishment of the National Security Law before the new millenium begins.

We call upon President Kim Dae Jung to act now for justice, reconciliation, and peace.

Sincerely yours,

Korean Youth Student Union in S. California (President Song Hyun Jung)
Democratic Labor Party, USA Chapter (President Kong Bong Kook)
Motherland Loving Council in N. California(President Jang So Am)
Korea Independence, Democracy, Unification USA United - California Chapter (President Kim Jung Joo)
Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification In America (Chairman Yang Eun Sik)
Minjok-tongshin(Korean Nationalist News) [President Roh Kilnam)