- From General Secretary
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Warm greetings from Korea to all our partners and friends
At this time I wish to offer you all New Years Blessings, as our Lunar New Year holiday begins on February 18, and so I wish you Health and Joy in the coming year.
Brothers and sisters throughout the world, at Christmas time each year for the past several years, the NCCK has organized a campaign to raise funds to send humanitarian aid to North Korea. From Christmas, then with a special focus on our Lunar New Year, and going through Lent to the great life-giving celebration of Easter, we try to bring assistance to nourish needy children and old people at the end of a long cold winter. Our appeal this year is hoping to send 100 tons of flour to North Korea, to the noodle factory supported by the Ecumenical Forum and the Korea Christian Federation. The cost of this project will be $65,000 USD. At this time, we invite those who feel a call to share to make a donation through:
Name Bank : Shinhan Bank, Branch: Yeonji-dong, Swift Code : SHBKKRSE
Bank Address : 136-56 Yeonji-dong Chongro-Ku, Seoul
Account Number : 180-000-719412
Account Name : The Juridical Foundation of the Korean United Works
We deeply thank our partners and friends for any assistance you can give in the grace of our Lord.
2015-02-14 09:38:54
- Invasion of sanctuary
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In South Korea it can be dangerous to talk about peace. People who do may be labeled jongbuk (North Korean sympathizers) by the present government and incriminated under Article 7 of the Korean National Security Law.
Earlier in 2014 Representative Lee Seok-ki, a member of the National Assembly, was arrested on charges of violation of this law, and then, unbelievably, the government dissolved the United Progressive Party, the political party of which he was a member - leaving disenfranchised all those Koreans who had voted for the 5 sitting members of the UPP in the present Assembly
In another action, just days before Christmas, Dec 22, 2014, police invaded the Mintongsun Peace Church and spent 10 hours ransacking church and adjoining day care centre looking for evidence that pastor Lee Jeok is acting against national security. In the process they took apart the sanctuary’s altar and cross.
Many Korean Christians are enraged by this action. Nothing like this had ever happened even during the most oppressive days of dictatorship.
NCCK issued a statement calling for an apology from the police and assurances such an action would not happen again, and churches not affiliated with NCCK also spoke out.
On Jan 30 there was a response from the police ~ the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Gu Eun-su came to the NCCK office where he officially made an apology to NCCK President Hwang Yang-dae and General Secretary Kim Young-ju on behalf of his department for this unacceptable behavior. The Commissioner also promised that a new protocol would be developed for more respectful search and seizure actions in the future.
In another response, the civil group Corean Alliance for Independent Reunification and Democracy is holding an indefinite sit-in in the Christian building to call ongoing attention to the dangers and excesses of the present government in its enforcement of the National Security Law. They are collecting signatures calling on President Park to stop suppression of human rights in Korea.
2015-02-14 12:46:11
- 2015LENTEN OBSERVANCE
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As the Christian church approaches the season of Lent, we ask our partners to use this prayer for Ash Wednesday observance.
On this Ash Wednesday, as we consider the ashes of repentance, the National Council of Churches in Korea asks you to join your prayers to theirs for reconciliation between North and South Korea.
People still, after all these many years, live with the pain of separation. Our government will not allow us to send rice and flour to our starving northern brothers and sisters.
Lord, forgive the barriers we have erected against each other and give us the will and show us the way to peace. We pray for those who suffer, and ask for them comfort and relief. Let the ashes of death and fear nourish a glad rebirth.
In Jesus' name we pray ~Jesus who set his face steadfastly toward Jerusalem where he would walk through death to reconcile us to each other n to God.
Amen
Attached is a story of a family divided by the division of Korea, to help you experience some of the pain of our people...
A Story of Separated Families_
Choi In-Jung was born in North Korea in 1927. He completed his higher education in one of the best universities in North Korea, became a labor party member and worked with the government transportation department. He married Lim Ki-Chun and they had four children. They made a happy family until he was dispatched to South Korea as a spy in 1964. Just two days after his arrival in the South he was arrested by the police and charged with espionage in 1967. He served a 23 years’ prison term and was released in 1988. He was 61 years old when he was released, which meant that he spent all of his golden age in prison. Then in 1990, just two years after his release, he was diagnosed with the last stages of liver cancer. He struggled with the cancer for almost a year and died on November 21 in the following year. Just few months before his death, he wrote an open letter to his wife in North Korea, saying that “my only wish before I die is to see you and our children and say sorry to them about all what happened to us.”
On October, 1991 just a month before his death, Choi sent his open letter to the Human Rights department of the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) with which I worked as an executive secretary. His letter was full of deep feelings of suffering and sorrow, representing the tragic situation of Korea division. My department immediately contacted the Unification Ministry of the South Korean government to request a short meeting between Choi and his family. Fortunately the Unification Ministry accepted our request and asked us to send an application form by November 20. The meeting was scheduled for 20-30 minutes on December 31 in the Joint Security Area of Panmunjom. I contacted Choi, and he was very excited and happy about the news and agreed to travel from his place to Seoul on November 20 to submit the application form. But unfortunately he could not make it because of his worsening sickness. In the following day on November 21, he died, longing for his family in North Korea.
After his death we appealed the South Korean government to hand over his letter to his wife, but the government refused to do it, being afraid of facing thousands of similar requests from the separated families in South Korea. As far as I remembered, we were eventually able to deliver his letter to his wife with the help of the World Council of Churches (WCC).
Through working for Choi, I have had a direct experience of pain and suffering caused by division. This is but one of many tragic stories heard in the Korean peninsula since the division.
(This story was prepared by Rev. Shin Seung Min, from his experiences as NCCK staff in 1991) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct12dXvW4q0&sns=fb
2015-02-14 10:38:43
- In Celebration of our Diverse Unity in Christ
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The impressive Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service held in Seoul’s Myungdong Cathedral on Jan. 22, 2015, was an significant show of ecumenical spirit. This service, used around the world, was written by Christians in Brazil with the theme, “Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink’.” The theme came from the story in John 4, of Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman at the well. Participants in the service, from the 8 member churches of NCCK and from the Korean Catholic Church, entered carrying pitchers of water, which they emptied into a well at the front of the church, representing the fact that each brought life-giving resources from their own tradition to share with the others.
During the service, the Most Rev. Osvaldo Padilla, the Apostolic Nuncio to Korea, brought greetings to the assembly from Pope Francis. Rev. Dr. Kim Young Ju, General Secretary of NCCK, preached on the theme, and many others from participating churches shared in leading the worship. The offering was a commitment for those gathered to remain close to each other, to learn from one another, to act together for God’s will to be done, and to pray together.
This service was the beginning event of an educational program in Christian unity, which will take place from 7 – 9 p.m. on Thursday evenings for 13 weeks, from Jan. 22 to April 30. Fifty laypeople are registered for this study program, a comprehensive look at the issues of Christianity in a very ecumenical setting. The first class was an introduction and description of the course and then the students joined the worship service.
The second week, led by Father Seung Yung Min was entitled, “What Kind of Religion is the Korean Christian Church?” The third led by Sister Son Jeong Mung, entitled, “Divisions and Reforms – the History of Christian Divisions.” The fourth, by Rev. Ahn Kyo Seong, is “Diversity of Churches, One Church? – differences and similarities between Denominations”. Fifth, by Rev. Yang Hyun Hye, “The Korean Church, where did it come from, where is it going? – the History of Growth and Divisions of the Korean Christian Church.” Sixth, “Toward the Bible, toward the World – Mutual Understand of the Word and the World”, will be jointly led by Rev. Shim Kwang Seop and Father Seung Yung Min. The seventh session is “Whose church is first – Mutual Understanding of the Rules and Stages of the Churches”, led by Father Shin Jeong Hoon. Eighth session presented by Father Park Tae Shik, will be “Worship and the Mass, Veneration of Mary, what are the Problems? – Mutual Understanding of the Churches’ worship and faith”. For the ninth session, Rev. Jeon Cheol will present “Who Receives Salvation – A Mutual Understanding of Salvation and Justification”. In the tenth session, Fathers Kim Ki Seok and Father Park Jeong Woo will present “Christian Ethics? – A Mutual Understanding of Life and Society”. For the 11th session, “Today’s Economic and Environmental Crisis – A Mutual Understanding of the Christian Atonement of the Economy and Environment by Rev. Jang Woon Jae. Father Park Tae Shik and Sister Lee Hyun Suk will present the 12th session on “Conflict? Dialogue? Toward the Dialogue of Neighbours”. Finally, the last session will be “The Horizon of Worship: Christian Life and Spirituality, where is it today?” which will be facilitated by Rev. Shim Kwang Seop and Father Seung Yung Min.
2015-02-14 10:58:29
- Fact-finding Report POSCO-Odisha, India Project
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In August, 2011, an exploratory group came from CCA to find out about the naval base being built at Gangjeong Village amid protests of the villagers. At that time, Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwaid, the General Secretary of NCCIndia, was one of the participants. He brought word of a similar tragic situation taking place in Odisha State, caused by the POSCO project, which had begun in 2005 when the governments of Odisha and POSCO signed an MOU for the POSCO Odisha Project, the establishment of a steel plant to take in approximately 4,000 acres of land with the capacity of producing 12 million tons of steel per year, and the establishment of a port for shipping the steel. His request was that as Koreans, we try to bring other Koreans to awareness of the issues involved caused by a Korean corporation.
The land being expropriated in Odisha is 3,556 acres of government forest land and 500 acres of private land. The total investment POSCO projected making into this steel plant was 12 billion US dollars for the Project, which makes it the biggest foreign direct investment in the history of India. The Project however faced strong resistance from affected residents and civil organizations against the acquisition of land. This was what Roger Gaikwaid shared in 2011, about the villages resisting strongly and suffering much. While suffer they did, it is reported that the villagers have been able to bring POSCO almost to a standstill in the ensuing years.
Korean religious and civil organizations supported appeals of the Odisha people to the forced land acquisition and human rights violations that took place. The Korea Student Christian Federation visited India in July 2013 to participate in a peace training program hosted by the Student Christian Movement of India (SCMI). The KSCF listened to local people’s voices related to the POSCO Odisha Project and the suffering of affected villagers. The NCC-India asked the KSCF to share the voices of Odisha people with churches and Christian students in South Korea, and to pay attention to the suffering of affected villagers. The KSCF suggested the Executive Committee of the NCC-Korea respond to the Odisha people and the Executive Committee accepted the suggestion. The Executive Committee decided that the Committee of International Affairs should organize a fact-finding committee in collaboration with the NCC-Korea Human Rights Center, the Committee of Peace and Justice and the KSCF.
Thus the NCCK organized the POSCO-Odisha Fact-finding Committee. The Committee started its mission in September 2013 and made efforts to understand the POSCO Odisha Project and the situation of affected villagers, through referring to related reports, visiting POSCO Headquarters in Seoul, South Korea and meeting the NCC-India staff. The Committee confirmed the need for field research and sent a three-member fact-finding team to Odisha in June 2014. These were Chung Jujin, Seo Jaesun and Chang Byunggi.
This team has prepared a comprehensive report of their findings, sharing information they collected and confirmed in Odisha. They certainly affirmed the responsibility of POSCO in the suffering of villagers, and affirmed that the attention and solidarity of churches and civil organizations in South Korea were urgently needed for these people, especially in the role of monitoring the business activities of South Korean corporations in foreign countries as responsible members of South Korean society. The report shows South Korean churches’ efforts to understand the suffering of affected people and to play a positive role in bringing changes to the field. As such it is an important report, and is available on request in either Korean or English to any who would like to read it in full.
2015-02-14 12:34:07
- (로이슈) 검찰에 이완구 총리후보 형사고발…KBS 외압 의혹 방송법 위반
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검찰에 이완구 총리후보 형사고발…KBS 외압 의혹 방송법 위반NCCK 언론위원회 “고위공직후보로서 아주 파렴치하고 악질적인 작태, 명백한 범죄행위”
신종철 기자 | sky@lawissue.co.kr
승인 2015.02.14 13:43:11
[로이슈=신종철 기자] 한국기독교 교회 협의회(NCCK) 언론위원회(위원장 전병금 목사)가 13일 “이완구 국무총리 후보자는 민주주의 법질서를 파괴하고 방송법을 정면으로 위반한 범죄자”라며 서울중앙지검에 고발장을 접수했다.
고발취지는 이완구 총리후보자가 방송법 제4조 제②항(방송편성에 대한 규제나 간섭행위)을 위반했으니, 법이 정하는 최대한 엄벌에 처해 달라는 것이다. 특히 “이완구 후보자가 기자들 앞에서 자신의 힘을 과시함으로써 검증보도를 못 하도록 위협을 가한 것이고, 고위 공직후보자로서 아주 파렴치하고 악질적인 작태이고 명백한 범죄행위”라고 목소리를 높였다.
▲ NCCK언론위원회 임순혜 부위원장이 트위터에 올린 고발장
먼저 언론위원회는 지난 11일 발족기자회견에서 이완구 총리후보자가 언론에 압력을 행사한 일에 대해 강하게 비판했었다. 이어 언론위는 “이완구 총리후보자의 행위는 방송법 제4조 제2항에서 규정하고 있는 방송편성에 대한 규제나 간섭행위에 해당된다”며, “이는 총리후보자로서의 신분만이 아니라 국회의원으로나 여당의 원내대표로서도 도저히 있어서는 안 되는 일”이라고 판단하고 형사고발을 결정했다.
언론위는 “이후에도 권력을 가진 이들에 의해 자행되는 언론탄압에 집중적 감시를 게을리 하지 않을 것이며, 이번 일이 어떠한 경우로도 언론의 독립성을 헤치지 못하는 계기가 되기를 바란다는 의미에서 형사고발을 결정했다”는 입장을 밝혔다.위원회는 고발장에서 “피고발인(이완구)은 현 박근혜 정부에서 국무총리 공직후보자로서 현재 국회 인사청문회를 마치고 인준을 대기하고 있으면서, 부당하게 방송사에 압력을 행사해 편집권을 침해하고 이미 보도하기로 한 내용을 보도하지 못하게 하거나 기사를 억지로 내리게 해 방송법 제4조 제②항(방송편성에 대한 규제나 간섭행위)의 규정에 정면으로 위반했다”고 주장했다.
언론위원회에 따르면 KBS <뉴스9>는 지난 1월 31일 보도된 이완구 후보자의 “양도소득세 축소 논란” 기사가 삭제됐다. 실제 해당 기사는 지난 2월 2일 KBS 홈페이지와 포털 사이트 등에서 삭제된 상태로 뉴스 동영상은 물론 리포트 내용도 볼 수 없는 상태다.
해당 기사내용은 이완구 후보자 측의 타워팰리스 양도소득세 탈루 의혹을 다루고 있다. <뉴스9>는 이완구 후보자측이 밝힌 두 차례의 매매 가격으로 계산한 양도소득세 법정액이 납부액을 웃돈다며 양도소득세 탈루 의혹을 제기했다.
하지만 이완구 후보자 측은 설명에 착오가 있다면서도 매매계약서를 공개하지 않았다는 내용이다.
그런데 보도가 나간 뒤 이완구 후보자 측의 입장이 달라졌다고 한다. 김철민 KBS 기자협회장은 “해당 보도가 나간 지난달 31일 자정께 이완구 후보 측이 보도본부 간부에게 ‘매매계약서를 다음날(2월 1일) 오전 공개하겠다. 기사를 온라인에서 내려 달라’는 취지의 전화를 걸었고 기사가 삭제됐다”고 말했다.
언론위원회는 “이완구 후보자가 언론사에 압력을 행사해 보도를 막고 있다는 주장이 이미 제기됐었다”며 “지난 1월 31일 KBS <뉴스9>는 이 후보자의 ‘양도소득세 축소 논란’을 다룬 리포트를 내보냈으나, 해당 기사는 곧 삭제됐다. KBS 기자들은 ‘이완구 후보 측이 전화를 걸어와 기사가 삭제됐다’고 주장했다”고 전했다.
“KBS 보도본부장을 움직인 사람이 바로 이완구 후보”라는 주장도 나왔다. <미디어오늘>에 따르면 해당 보도는 금요일(2015년 1월 30일)에 예정된 아이템이었으나 주목도가 떨어지는 토요일로 방송이 미뤄졌다는 것이다. 이 후보자의 삼청교육대 관련 활동에 대한 리포트도 보도국에 묶여있는데, 이완구 후보자의 ‘압력행사’ 때문이라는 게 기자들의 증언이라고 언론위원회는 밝혔다.
언론위원회는 “이완구 국무총리 후보자가 언론에 개입해 자신에 관한 검증보도를 막았다는 의혹이 사실로 밝혀졌다. 이완구 후보자의 실토로 ‘기사 삭제 사태’의 비밀이 밝혀졌다. 이 후보자가 직접 전화를 걸어 ‘회유’하고, 때론 ‘협박’을 가해 기사를 내렸던 것”이라며 “고발인은 이런 반민주적, 반언론적 보도통제 행위가 2015년에, 그것도 국무총리 공직후보자에 의해 자행되었다는 사실에 개탄을 금할 수 없다”고 개탄했다.
KBS는 지난 2월 6일 <9시 뉴스>에서도 이완구 후보자의 기자간담회 발언 녹취록을 공개했다. 녹취록에 따르면 이 후보자는 “OOO하고, ***한테 ‘야 우선 저 패널부터 막아 임마, 빨리 시간 없어’ 그랬더니, 지금 메모 즉시 넣었다고 그래 가지고 빼고 이러더라고. 내가 보니까 빼더라”라고 말했다.
언론위원회는 “이 후보자의 전화와 압력에 의해 보도내용이 바뀌었다는 것”이라고 해석했다.
이완구 후보자는 또 기자들에게 “윗사람들하고 다 내가 말은 안 꺼내지만 다 관계가 있어요. 어이 이 국장, 걔 안 돼, 해 안해? 야, 김 부장 걔 안 돼, 지가 죽는 것도 몰라요 어떻게 죽는지도 몰라”라고 말한 것으로 드러났다.
언론위원회는 “언론사 간부를 통해 기자를 손볼 수 있다는 공갈협박도 사실이었던 것”이라며 “이완구 후보자는 이어 ‘좀 흠이 있더라도 덮어주시고, 오늘 이 김치찌개를 계기로 해서 도와주소’라며 회유성 발언을 던지기도 했다. KBS는 이 모든 발언을 이 후보자의 육성으로 공개했다”고 말했다.
이같은 녹취가 공개되자 이완구 후보자는 “평소 친하게 지내던 기자들과 격의 없이 대화하는 사적인 자리에서 사실과 다른 보도를 접하면서 답답한 마음에 사실관계를 설명하고 이해를 구하는 가운데 나온 발언”이라고 해명했다.
그러나 언론위원회는 “이는 얼토당토않은 핑계일 뿐”이라며 “피고발인(이완구)의 발언은 ‘다소 거칠고 정제되지 못한 표현’ 정도가 아니라 보도개입을 자랑하고, 기자들을 협박한 것”이라고 비판했다.
그러면서 “방송법 제4조 제②항을 정면으로 위반한 행위”라고 판정하며 “피고발인이 기자들 앞에서 자신의 힘을 과시함으로써 검증보도를 못 하도록 위협을 가한 것이고, 고위 공직후보자로서 아주 파렴치하고 악질적인 작태이고 명백한 범죄행위”라고 목소리를 높였다.
▲ NCCK언론위원회 임순혜 부위원장의 트위터. 고발장 접수하는 한웅 변호사
이완구 후보자는 또 “부덕의 소치”라며 “국민 여러분께 불편함을 드린 데 대해 대오각성하는 마음으로 사과의 말씀을 드린다”고 말했다. 하지만 언론위원회는 “이는 얼렁뚱땅 넘어가려는 꼼수에 불과한 말”이라며 “쏟아지는 의혹을 더 해명할 방도가 없으니 기자들을 협박하고 나선 것”이라고 질타했다.
언론위원회는 “피고발인은 부당한 언론개입으로 국민의 알권리를 침해하고, 언론의 자유를 훼손했고, 민주적 절차인 공직후보자에 대한 언론 검증을 부당하게 방해했다”며 “피고발인은 민주주의 법질서를 파괴하고 방송법을 정면으로 위반한 범죄자”라고 처벌을 요구했다.
언론위원회는 “국무총리는 대통령을 보좌해 모든 국법상의 행위에 관여하고 국정운영을 총괄하는 자리로서 누구보다도 국민을 위하고 민주주의적 사명감과 소명의식에 투철해야 한다”며 “민주주의 국가의 구성원으로서 언론의 자유를 침해한 피고발인을 용서할 수 없다”고 비판했다.
아울러 “평균적인 국민의 준법의식보다 더 저열한 자가 이처럼 막중한 공직을 수행할 수도 없고 수행해서도 안 되는 것”이라며 “이는 국가의 비극이다. 이러한 충정에서 고발하는 것이니 철저히 수사해 엄중한 처벌을 내려 달라”고 요청했다.
<저작권자 © 로이슈 무단전재 및 재배포금지>
2015-02-24 12:13:40
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