PSPD Newsletter: June-July 2012

PSPD Newsletter, June-July 2012

<Civil and Political Rights related activities>

1. Demographic diversity is
required for the replacement of Supreme Court Justices

In
regards to the replacement of four Supreme Court Justices scheduled in July,
the Center for Judicial Watch of PSPD demands to appoint justices with
different backgrounds and factors. Hence, PSPD held the conference on 22
May ‘Influence
of the demographic diversity of supreme court justices on our lives’ and conducted a survey on 23 May. 1,000
throughout the nation both female and male aged 19 and the higher answered to
questions on the Supreme Court and justices, and 58.9% responded that a social
diversity is more important than job efficiency, and legal professional with
non-judge background should also be selected.

However,
the Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee ignored this
public opinion and recommended 13 candidates mainly fell into the category of
male, conservative and Seoul National University graduates. Raising an
objection, PSPD organized the press conference on 5 June in front of the
Supreme Court and urged the Committee to reconsider. PSPD will keep demand
diversity during the replacement process including hearings of
candidates. 

2. The National Election Commission should
disclose information on DDOS attack

Despite
that Administrative Appeals Commission overruled the decision to close
information on DDOS attack, the National Election Commission again refused to
disclose on 13 June. It insists that its decision is based on 「Decrees on Disclosure of information by public organisations」and 「Protection
of communications secrets Act」but
fails to point out which requested information is not to be disclosed according
to laws. Therefore, PSPD denounced the Commission for violating the Act of
disclosure of information and will litigate to nullify the decision so that the
facts on DDOS attack can be revealed.   

3. PSPD urges to disclose the truth of
illegal surveillance against civilians

PSPD
calls for National Assembly hearings to reveal the truth of illegal
surveillance against civilians, concealment of evidences, and the involvements
of the blue house and the higher. Every personnel including the President Lee
Myung-bak involved in this scandal should be called in to testimony at
hearings. Therefore, PSPD announced the condemning statement on the briefing of
prosecutor’s
office on 13 June and held a press conference. It also organized a forum “Solutions for illegal surveillance against civilians” on 21 June which reviewed implications to
resolve illegal surveillance by comparing it with the Water Gate and assessed
the investigation of prosecutor’s office. Furthermore, it urged the National Assembly to
investigate and hold hearings.   

<Socio-Economic Rights related Activities>

1. PSPD issued the report on public day care centers

The Social Welfare Committee of PSPD issued the
report <Status of public day care centers> analyzing current status of
public day care centers by each regional government. The report shows an
important indicator for how much the government has taken the responsibility
for nursing children. After having looked into the statistics of the last three
years for increase/decrease of public day care centers and its ratio compared
to privates’, Incheon, Jeollanam-do and Gyeonggi-do in order, have devoted to
provide more public day care centers while Daejeon, Gwangju and Jeju City
showed low efforts. PSPD will continue to monitor nursing policy and demand for
more public day care centers.

2. Looking
for resolutions for Ssangyong Motors’ dispute and
alternatives for layoff

PSPD and KyungHyang Daily have looked into the
current status of Ssangyong Motors’ layoff and dispute,
and published the series of five special reports ‘Tears
of lay-offed employees of Ssangyong Motors’ on 18-22 June. In
order to reinforce social safety net and conditions of layoff, the forum
<Problems and measures to improve layoff learned from Ssangyong Motors’ dispute>
was held on 26 June in cooperation with Democratic United Party. The dispute of
Ssangyong motors is not a problem of a single company but a social matter. For
that reason, it is necessary to improve regulations to make workers back to
work and prevent overuse of layoff. 

3.  National budget
2013 designed by citizens

The Center for Tax Reform of PSPD held the forum
<National budget 2013 designed by citizens> on 11 June preceding the open
discussion which the government hosted to formulate the national finance
management plan. In the forum, relevant organizations and experts presented
major controversial issues on total amount, resource appropriation, and main
contents of national finance management plan 2012-2016, and a bill of budget
2013. Moreover, the forum dealt with various categories of the budget including
SOC, private business investments, energy, environment, jobs, welfare, finances
for regional governments and defense.    

PSPD will keep eyes on if the government listens
and reflects opinions of civil society in planning and deliberating the
national finance and the next year budget. It will monitor and assess if the
priority is given to policies for working class and the weak, and whether
expenditure policy is desirable and pursues the quality improvement of the people’s
life.

4. Intensive activities to
achieve democracy in economy and to reform Chaebol

The Civil Economy Committee of PSPD established
<Civil Society Alliance to achieve democracy in economy and to reform
Chaebol> in association with think-tanks of various sectors of the society,
mass organization, concerned parties, experts and civic groups. On 22 June, the
alliance held a forum <Changing the paradigm of Korean economy; from Chaebol
economy for one percent to democracy in economy for everyone> and reviewed
theories and opinions on both issues. It came up with major tasks and
determined positive activities to make them happen. Democracy in Economy and
Chaebol reform will secure the right to live for small-medium enterprises,
small business owners, workers, ordinary people and consumers. They are the
ways to save everyone by activating domestic economy and core assignment to
realize universal welfare. PSPD will concentrate on proposing specific and
practical bills in order to attain democracy in economy and Chaebol reform. 

<International Solidarity> 

1. Korea’s ODA in the eyes of other countries

The working group of Official
Development Assistance (ODA) Peer Review from Australia and Germany has visited
Korea on 11-15 June to check the status of Korea’s ODA. This was the first visit
since Korea has joined in DAC (Development Aid Committee) in 2010. The purpose
of Peer Review is to get an assessment from peer countries if recommendations
of the international society have been reflected and implemented to improve
ODA.

Civil society including PSPD
participated in the meeting with the working group and delivered opinions on
how aid efficiency can be increased. Suggestions include the integration of responsible organisations for
tied and non-tied aids, transparent disclosure of information and government’s
cooperation with civil society. In particular, PSPD has pointed out that ODA is
misused for resource diplomacy and reconstruction excuse for post-war nations.
PSPD will send a statement of civil society to OECD elaborating its arguments
and will not stop calling the Korean government for improving ODA policies.