PSPD in English Int. Solidarity 2006-12-11   864

Denunciation of Immoral and Inhuman Daewoo’s Arms Equipment and Technology Export to Burma

[Joint Statement]

The result of the investigation has turned out that Daewoo did exported arms equipment and technology to Burma(Myanmar). We intensively denounce Daewoo for supporting military regime oppressing human rights and taking profits from it.

According to the press, last 6th of December, high-tech crime investigation department of Seoul public prosecutors office uncovered 16 people including head of Daewoo International for violating international trading law and technology development facilitating law by illegally exporting gunnery production factory, equipments, and technical skills to Burmese military regime. Among them, 14 people were indicted, and 2 people were arranged identified search.

Burma is a country under military dictatorship for 44 years. It has been said that Burmese people are suffering with forced labor and killings by soldiers. Therefore, Burma is the world’s most deteriorated country regarding human rights, and international societies including UN are discussing its cruelty.

How could Korea, a country so proud for ‘democracy’, for producing UN secretary general, support such immoral and undemocratic military dictatorship by supplying illegal military hardware! Daewoo’s illegal military equipment and technology export infringed Burmese who are waiting for Korean support for democracy. We are ashamed and terribly sorry to Burmese people.

We now believe that Burma gas development project lead by Daewoo International along with participation of Korea Gas Corporation is closely connected with military equipment and technology export by Korean companies. Under the name of national resource development, Burmese military regime will gain tens of million dollars, and this will bring human rights violation and longer military dictatorship in Burma.

Korean government as well, will not stay out of the responsibility of unjust and immoral act of Korean corporations. Tens of public funds were threw in to save once bankrupted Daewoo, and Korean government also provided 60% loan out of 70 million dollars Daewoo invested up to now for gas development project in Burma.

We can not accept that the tax our citizens provide is used to support such a dirty corporate activity. Criticism of international society to the Korean government who supports Burmese military regime will also increase. How could Korea be part of the responsible international society if we support and assist undemocratic and unjust Burmese military regime? This incidence could not avoid criticisms of international society since it violates all the efforts international society put to build democracy and human rights improvement in Asia and in the globe.
We can not accept immoral and unjust corporate activity, and the support of the Korean government, so we strongly urge the following.

– Daewoo International should apologize to Burmese people for exporting strategic items, and should stop supporting military regime.

– Korean government should quickly provide legal apparatus to control unjust activities of Korean companies overseas.

– Korean government should support Burmese democracy movement in human rights diplomatic position by re-examining diplomatic relationships with military regime.

December 11, 2006

Amnesty International S. Korean Section / Ansan Labor Human rights Center / Bucheon Migrant Worker’s House(BMWH) / BURMA ACTION KOREA / Burma- NLD(National League for Democracy-Liberated Aiea) Korea Branch / Catholic Human Rights Committee / Citizens’ solidarity for Human Rights(CSHR) / Dasan Human Rights Center / Disabled Peoples’ International Gyeonggi Korea (Gyeonggi DPI) / Federations of Korean Trade Unions(FKTU) / Green Korea United / Imagination For International Solidarity / Korean Federation for Environmental Movement(KFEM) / Korean House for International Solidarity(KHIS) / MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society / NAWAURI / People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy(PSPD) / Puchon Civil Association / Sarangbang Group for Human Rights / Solidarity for New Society / The Association for Migrant Workers’ Human Rights / The Center for Corporate Social Responsibility (CCSR) / The Korea Greens / World Without War

International Solidarity Committee

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