PSPD in English Peace/Disarmament 2019-12-27   2037

[Statement] Shame on the enaction of the bill that degrades the significance of the first alternative military service for conscientious objectors

Shame on the enaction of the bill that degrades the significance of the first alternative military service for conscientious objectors

 

Today (Dec 27), two bills to introduce alternative service for conscientious military objectors, 「Legislative Bill on Incorporation and Service of Alternative Military」 and 「Amendment to Military Service Act」, passed the National Assembly. This happened in a year and a half since the Constitutional Court decision that stated the current Military Service Act unconstitutional for reasons that it lacks regulations about substitutable services for conscientious military objectors. Unfortunately, the alternative option that is at last being adopted over nineteen-thousand imprisonments, is precarious. This bill is violating than to protect the freedom of conscience. Moreover, rather than to reflect the value of human rights and peace, it prioritizes executive convenience. Thereby, the civic groups including us who have long fought against the government to provide alternative service options, strongly rebuke the National Assembly for passing a bill that fades its significance.

 

According to the bill, the penalty-like characteristics of alternative service will make the ones who reject to spend thirty-six months in correctional institutions’ dormitories. This goes against the Constitutional Court’s decision that “If excessive and made difficult to choose this option, it may be a useless option or a punishment”. Furthermore, the bill disregards The National Human Rights Commission’s suggestion by placing the examination commission under Military Manpower Administration and the right of nomination to the Minister of National Defense, all “to guarantee fairness, objectiveness, and transparency, the judging institution shall be installed separately from the Ministry of National Defense and Military Manpower Administration” (2019, Expression of opinion about the Legislative Bill on Incorporation and Service of Alternative Military).

 

The bill did not alleviate the problems in the government proposal, and in some parts even backtracked from the original. It first limits the freedom of conscience by not acknowledging soldiers in active duty and abandons the government’s responsibility to inform its people of their rights by deleting the obligation for advance notice. Furthermore, through adjusting the members component ratio and allowing the Minister of National Defense to nominate the chairperson, violates the autonomy of the commission, which is a clear regression. It also goes against the periodic tide to eliminate the part that codified ratio of female members.

 

Moreover, this falls short of the international organizations’ standards, which have constantly pressed the Korean government for the adoption of alternative services. David Kay, the UN Special Rapporteur on Right to Freedom of Opinion and Ahmen Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, sent a letter last November 28th to express concerns and to point out issues of the alternative service bill Korea will soon adopt.

 

The problems elaborated in previous paragraphs regressed the historic importance of being the very first adoption of alternative military service for conscience objectors. There seems to be a high chance of this to either be a titular policy from its onset or keep the objectors from exercising their rights. In the examination process that the commission that is not fully independent from the Ministry of National Defense and the Military Manpower Administration conducts, rejecting military service can be regarded more as a subject of punishment than freedom. It is also for certain that the international community, as the Human Rights Committee of UN, will continue to press the Korean government.

 

We who have actively raised voices for the adoption of alternative service and guarantee of right to reject military service will continue to call for amendments to this problematic Alternative Military Service Act. The government and the National Assembly should immediately revise the law to prevent seeming problems before the policy is enforced. For a rapid modification, the principles which domestic and international human rights and peace civic groups, international organizations like UN, domestic institutions like National Human Rights Commission and the Constitutional Court have proposed, should be taken into consideration.

 

December 27th, 2019

 

Center for Military Human Rights Korea

MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society

World Without War

People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD)

 

Joint Statement [See / Download]

Korean Version >> 

 

번역 : 윤혜원 자원활동가 / Translation : Hyewon Yoon

정부지원금 0%, 회원의 회비로 운영됩니다

참여연대 후원/회원가입


참여연대 NOW

실시간 활동 SNS

텔레그램 채널에 가장 빠르게 게시되고,

더 많은 채널로 소통합니다. 지금 팔로우하세요!