PSPD in English Peace/Disarmament 2004-04-29   1374

[Report] Mine Ban Policy of Korea 2004

Republic of Korea
Mine Ban Policy 2004

The Republic of Korea (ROK) has not acceded to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. The South Korean government basically did not change the mine police since 1997 because US government did not change it. Speaking of mine policy, Korean government has always followed US mine policy.

In November 2003, South Korea abstained from voting on the pro-mine ban UN General Assembly resolution, as it had in previous years. Counsellor Kwang-chul Lew said “the ROK is committed to the global effort to protect civilians from the scourge of landmines”, even though a lot of innocent civilians had been victimized by APM and ATM in Korea every years.

South Korea did not attend the 5th Meeting of States Parties in September 2003, and it did not participate in the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in February and May 2004. However, because South Korea is a party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Amended Protocol II on landmines, it submitted its annual Article 13 report required under Amended Protocol II, 24 November, 2003. It attended the Fifth Session of the Group of Governmental Experts of the States parties to the CCW, Geneva, 16 June 2003 and the Fifth Annual Conference of the States Parties to Amended Protocol 2 to the CCW, Geneva, 26 November 2003. It also attended the Meeting of the States Parties to the CCW, Geneva, 27 November 2003.

Bush administration of USA has announced the new US landmine policy 27 Feburary, 2004. The new policy will lead to destruction of older, dumb landmines, but not until 2010, four years after the previous deadline. Most disturbing, the right to use US self-deactivating or self-destructing antipersonal(AP) samrt landmines will continue indefinitely.

Lincoln P. Bloomfield, Jr, Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs, said that “the United States becomes the first major military power to make this comprehensive commitment regarding all persistent landmines. Any use of persistent anti-vehicle landmines outside Korea between now and the end of 2010 will require Presidential authorization. The use of persistent anti-personnel landmines during this period would only be authorized in fulfillment of our treaty obligations to the Republic of Korea.”

However, Korean government did not have any comment on the new US landmine policy of Bush Administartion in this time as well as Clinton Administartion in1997.
The Korean Campaign to Ban Landmines(KCBL) asserts that new Mine policy of Bush Administration neglects to victimize innocennt civillians by dumb mines in Korea and means to export so called alternatives to Korea, according to the press release, Feburary 28, 2004.

KCBL had submitted the draft of the Special Act for Compensation of Mine Victims and Mine Clearrance in Korea to the National Congress, November 2003. However, The committee of National Defense of the National Congress did not place it on the order of the plenary session because of lackness of disscussion. KCBL are going to submit the revised draft to the National Congress again after general election for law makers in 2004.

The Draft of the Special Act contains the compensation for mine victims without limitation of duration and the establishment of special commission for mine issue, basic plan and schedule for mine clearrance in Korean peninsula etc.

Production, Transfer, and Stockpiling

The ROK government reported to Landmine Monitor that it did not produce any antipersonnel mines in 2003, including Claymore mines and remote-delivery self-destructing mines. It also reported that it did not import any antipersonnel mines in 2003. In November 2003, South Korea stated that it has “faithfully enforced an indefinite extension of its moratorium on the export of anti-personnel landmines since 1997.”

The Ministry of National Defense secured about US$23.7millions 243 in 2004 and US$15.4millions in 2003 as budget of import for Scattering mechine of Korean model’s mines. This budget means that Korea imports M74(APM) and M79(ATM) M79(ATM for Training) from America, which are self-destruct or self-deactivate mines. The Ministry of National Defense are planing to take US$155 millions as the budget of 2000 to 2007 for Scattering mechine plan.

The ROK reported “the landmines(dumb APM) in stockpile are about twice as many as those that are buried”. The stockpile includes about 1,200,000 M14 and M16 mines that were modified to meet the detectability requirements of CCW Amended Protocol II. South Korea also holds plenty of new model’s mines such as FASCAM: 40,000 GATOR mines; 10,000 VOCANO mines; and unknown number of MOPPMS mines.

The US stockpiles more than 1 million M14 and M16 non-self-destructing antipersonnel mines, to be used in any future resumption of war in Korea. Landmine Monitor Report 2002 cited official US Army documentation indicating that the US stored nearly half of the 1,138,600 non-self-destructing mines designated for use in Korea in the continental United States, not in the ROK. However, the ROK government in February 2003 told Landmine Monitor that the entire US stockpile of non-self-destructing mines is in South Korea. The US also stockpiles remotely-delivered, self-destructing antipersonnel mines in South Korea.

Use and Landmine Problem

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the six- to-ten km wide Civilian Control Zone (CCZ), immediately below the southern boundary of the DMZ, remains one of the most heavily mined areas in the world. The ROK has stated that 91 square kilometers of land are mined and the number of mines is officially estimated at 1.1 to 1.2 million.

In addition, the ROK government states that there are about 44,000 mines in 39 military sites in “rear areas” south of the DMZ and CCZ according to KCBL
There are also significant “unconfirmed minefields,” particularly around Yonchon. Yonchon County authorities have reported that unconfirmed minefields cover an area of 1,411,606 square meters in 25 villages. According to KCBL, most unconfirmed minefields are marked with a small number of faded signs and decayed barbed wire. However, the Ministry of National Defense said that “units located near the boarder line amended a significant amount of mine field and mine areas signs to increase their visibility and recognition by the civilian population”as well as the previous report.

About 69 square kilometers of mined land are unconfirmed minefields, which is 75% of all of mined land in Korea. Most unconfirmed minefields were maded by US Army due to withdrawal from Korean peninsula.
Each year, torrential rains sweep antipersonnel mines out of minefields. The Armed Forces detected and cleared 31 landmines swept away by flood during summer seaons.

According to KCBL’s press release, a KCBL campaigner found out 374 APMs on the high-water-level land by the Han river near Seoul. KCBL asserts that Korean Army dumpped them there in 1994 from Mt. Jangneung near the Gimpo international airport in Gimpo city. The mine-dumped place used to be flooded several times every years by heavy rain.

Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education, Mine Action Funding

The ROK Army launched demining operations in the DMZ for the reconnection of cross-border railways and roads(“Donghae” line) on March, 3, 2003. Approximately ROK estimates that there are 500 rounds of landmines within the 25,800 squre meters area of the Dognhae line which is located east border between two Koreas.
For means and technologies of mine clearing, the ROK Army said the mine fields of railways and roads consists of 7-% wooded area, 30% sandy or scrub area. Therefore, it developed 4 steps demining methods in wooden area and 3 steps demining methods in sandy and scrub area. The ROK army has successfully cleared all mines in the Dognhae railway and highway construction site without any accidents or casualties in 2003.

The ROK has cleared 11,000 landmines from the periphery of eleven military camps and air bases in the rear areas in 2003, and the operation is being conducted in 11 sites in 2004 and is clearing 13.000 landmines. The ROK has finished to clear 17 sites of 39 sites in rear minefields to complete clearance operations there by 2006. In the ROK, mine clearance operations are conducted mainly by the military. About 51,200 soldiers of 13 troops were mobilized in mine clearance operations in 2003 and the ROK has spent about US$2.3 million for purchasing mine clearing equipment and explosives. In addition, the Korea Army cleared 31 landmines swept away by flood during summmer seasons.

The Korea Mine Action Group (KMAG) announced to clear some landmines in front area near the DMZ in 2003. according to Mr. Whan Im, the president of KMAG, he has cleared some landmines which have not been useful due to removal of army caps, by oder of Korean Army. Also he has cleared some landmines in unconfirmed minefields by order of Local Government.

The government reports that, in compliance with CCW Amended Protocol II, ROK Armed Forces have updated 8,000 signs that identify minefields and mined areas as dangerous areas based on international standard, and also constructed wire-entanglemnts with the total legth of about 80 km around bases.

The ROK states that it provides information to the civilian population in the annual report of Article 13 of CCW Protocol II. It said that “the Ministry of National Defense has publicized the information regarding this Protocol through its internet website, allowing the Korean public to acquire information ay any time”.
The Chungaram Media Publishing Company has published “Not mines, But flowers” in korean translation form Japanese book May 6, 2004. This book will be read by childern in Korea for Mine Risk Education.

KCBL has conducted “the cartoon exhibition for enactment of the Special Act for Compensation of Mine Victims and Mine Clearrance in Korea at subway station of Seoul city Holl 15 to 19, September 2003. The cartoons of 40 pieces were painted by well-known painters of Korea current cartoon painters association. KCBL also has conducted “the hearing meeting for the Special Act for Compensation of Mine Victims and Mine Clearrance in Korea” in the conference holl of the National Congess sponsored by Lawmaker Hyong-ho Kim July 7 2003.
In 2003, the ROK government contributed US$ 50,000 to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund which is allocated to Laos.

Landmine Casualties

From January 2003 to April 2004, 5 new landmine incidents were reported resulting in 6 casualties, of which two people were killed and 4 injured. 2 casualties in military service in 2002 was omitted in LM 2003.

But the ROK has listed only one mine victim February 20 in 2003. It is evidence that Korean government is not interested in mine accident and civilian mine victims.
New landmine casualties are follows; Soomin Kim, male, slightly injured, Februry 10, in lake Soyang, Inje, Chung-hee Kim , female, 61 years old, dead, April 28, Mt. Chun-dok of Shinse-myon, Jung-in Park, female, 72 years old, May 2, Baekak-myon, Kyo-yon Jin, male, 46 years old, dead, November 13, military camp in Yonchun, Mr. Whang, soldier, male, 21 years old, November 13, military camp in Yonchun and in 2004, Hyun-man Bang, male, 36 years old, January 31, Baekryungdo island.

In 2002, two more mine victims were announced as follows; one soldier, male, severely injured, June 17, Pohang Kyungnam Province in rear area, another soldier, male, slightly injured, Octeber 15, Kimpo Kyunggi-do Province in rear area.
In April, a 61-year-old woman was killed by a mine at Mt. Chun-dok, in Kyunggi-do province, after entering a minefield to pick herbs. In a similar incident in May a 72-year-old woman stepped on an M14 mine while picking herbs in a minefield. In November, Kyo-ryon Jin was killed by anti-tank mine accident in military camp during work for repairing excavator as electric engineer. Two rear areas taken mine accidetn in 2002, are place which Korean Army will be cleared by 2006.

Survivor Assistance

South Korean civilian casualties of landmines can file for government compensation through the State Compensation Act. Medical bills are covered by the National Medical Insurance system. Soldiers injured while on duty, receive a veteran’s pension and free medical services from the Veterans Hospital. Depending on the degree of their injuries, the government also provides preferential treatment for military mine survivors such as tax cuts and employment advantages for their children.

While the government states that it pays compensation to civilian casualties of landmines through the State Compensation Act, it seems very few survivors are actually receiving any government benefits. The KCBL claims that the national compensation law has several limitations. The biggest hurdle is that landmine victims can not start a suit to collect damages after 3 years from mine accident even though almost mine victimes in Korea had taken place before 3 years ago.

Therefore KCBL claims to enact the Special Act for Compensation of Mine Victims.
KCBL has conducted “the exhibition of photographies taken by mine victims” titled in ” more beautiful than painful” 16 to 19 December 2003, at Joong-gu cultural center in Seoul. The photographer Sieoo Lee said that mine vicims could recover their smile as taking a picture and heal their broken heart. Also KCBL has organized the association of mine victims in Korea, September 4 2003.

The Seoul-based NGO, Global Civic Sharing, supports mine survivors and other persons with disabilities in Vietnam. In 2002, 337 people were provided with prostheses, including 62 mine survivors.

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