About PSPD

About People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD)

Background

Until the 1980s, achievement of democracy was driven by people’s movements resisting government violence and oppression. Eventually the military dictatorship, which lasted over three decades, was terminated by the power of the people. Nevertheless, democratization of the society was not fully realized immediately. The true realization of democracy could only be achieved by the people who ordinarily participate in socio-economic and political spheres of decision-making, and closely watch the abuse of power of the state and the corporations.

PSPD was founded in 1994 by activists, scholars and lawyers who had engaged in various democratic movements during military dictatorship decades. Hoping to open a new era of participatory democracy and human rights, PSPD has been working on promoting people’s participation in government’s decision making process and socio-economic reforms. 

In 2004, PSPD also obtained a special consultative status with the UN ECOSOC and started to advocate before various UN bodies including the UN Human Rights Council and the Security Council.

4 Missions of PSPD

Watch 

We are a watchdog organization that closely monitors whether or not the government and the corporate is abusing its power. 

Alternatives 

We research and propose alternative policies, bills and measures for enhancing livelihood and rights of ordinary people.

Solidarity 

We stand in solidarity with local, glocal, and global people’s movements to uphold democracy, and to promote and protect human rights of the marginalized people in a society. 

Participation

Members and volunteers are important actors of our activities. We are mainly operated by membership fee of more than 12,000 members. 

Divisions

Center for National Assembly Watch monitors activities of the National Assembly and promotes voters’ participation in politics.

Center for Administration Watch monitors public bureaus and policy making process to enhance transparency and accountability.

Center for Judiciary Watch motivates citizens to participate and to suggest alternatives for institutional reform of the judiciary body.

Public Interest Law Center focuses on freedom of expression and supports public interest litigations for democracy and human rights.

Social Welfare Committee focuses on promoting and protecting socio-economic rights by strengthening social welfare system and social safety net.

Committee for Fair Labor Society monitors labor policies to eliminate unfair treatment at workplace and enhance rights of irregular workers.

Campaign for Anyone with Stable Life proposes alternative measures for enhancing livelihood of citizens.

People’s Economic Committee focuses on economic democracy and monitors unfair trades by conglomerates.

Center for Tax Justice and Budget Priority recommends alternative measures to achieve fairness and equality in taxations.

Center for Peace and Disarmament monitors national security policies and suggests alternatives for peace and disarmament in Northeast Asia.

International Solidarity Committee works on human rights and democratization movements in Asia and monitors the ODA(Official Development Assistance) policies.

As of Dec. 2011, PSPD is a member of international and regional network organizations below. 

- Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)

- The Asian Network for Free Election (ANFREL)

- Global Partnership for Prevention of the Armed Conflict (GPPAC Northeast Asia)

- Reality of Aid (ROA)

- Solidarity for Democratic Movement in Asia (SDMA) 

- World Alliance for Citizen Participation (CIVICUS)

Auxiliaries

Civic Education Center runs various programs on democracy, humanities and culture to provide civil education to people. 

Principles of PSPD Financing

PSPD finance is based on three principles.

1. Our main source of income is individual membership fee. 

2. We do not receive any government grants.

3. Being financially independent is our priority. 

- Strengthening social safety net and securing minimum living standard campaign 1994~2001

- Campaign to protect and support whistle-blowers 1994~present

- Judicial reform campaign 1995~present

- Transparent Society Campaign to enact anti-corruption law 1996~2002

- Monitoring corporate activities with minor shareholders 1997~2002

- Derivative suit of minor shareholders against CEO’s illegal activities of Cheil Industries, Daesang Co., Daewoo Co., LG CI, Korea First Bank and Samsung Electronics 1997-2007

- No vote for corrupted candidates campaign during the general election / Amendment of toxic articles in the Election Law campaign by  the Civil Action for the General Election (CAGE) 2000, 2004

- Collecting 1 million petitions calling for lowering mobile phone bill 2001

- No to F-15 Fighter purchase campaign 2002

- Candlelight vigils for revising the SOFA(the Status of Forces Agreement ) 2002  

- Campaign against Dispatching Korean Troops to Iraq and Afghanistan 2002~present

- No Jeju naval base campaign 2002~present

- Hope-Up Campaign to realize legal minimum living cost 2004, 2010

- Setting up a database for public to monitor members of parliament (watch.peoplepower21.org) 2006~present

- No to Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement(KORUS-FTA)campaign 2006~present

- Campaign against Lee Geon Hee, the Chair of SAMSUNG Group for illegal lobbying and tax evasion 2007

- Lowering domestic expenses on education, housing and medical service campaign 2007~present

- Candlelight vigils against the import of US Beef with BSE(Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) risk 2008

- Campaign to revise the Ordinance of Seoul Square for people’s freedom of assembly 2009

- Campaign for full disclosure of investigation result and reinvestigate the sunken Cheonan warship 2010~present

- Campaign to protect and promote voters’ freedom of expression 2011~present