A student organization of South Jeolla Province held a press conference. It demanded the People’s Power Party stop political farce as it used the May 18 popular uprising in pursuit of its political interests. The People’s Power Party is descendant of dictatorial regime of Chun Doo-hwan who killed Gwangju citizens in 1980. We will never forget that the PPP which put a brake on a thoroughgoing investigation into the May popular uprising, perverted history textbook and made ruthless remarks riving hearts of the bereaved families, it pointed out.   The leadership of PPP dropped its tears in front of the altar of Mangwol cemetery, it is nothing but fraudulent practices to gain more votes from the people. The PPP must make a sincere apology instead of producing deceitful show. Dissolution of itself is the only way to sincere apology, they asserted.

  Of late, a dynamic nationwide drive to censure the People’s Power Party, a descendant of Chun Doo-hwan, the main culprit of Gwangju massacre, is brisk across south Korea.     The People’s Power Party visited the national cemetery, however, it has spouted a load of rubbish about the May 18 uprising and laid an obstacle in the way of strict investigation into the Gwangju massacre, the members of the Progressive Federation of University Students of South Jeolla Province said at a rally held outside the office of the PPP in Gwangju on May 17. It held a press conference in demand of dissolution of the PPP, saying that the PPP should stop immediately a vicious farce using the May 18 uprising in pursuit of its political interests and the PPP which has distorted history of the May 18 uprising should make a sincere apology.       Students demand dissolution of the PPP   The People's Sovereignty Solidarity called a press conference outside the office of the PPP in Seoul to stage one-man de

Breaking with diplomacy submitting to America   The south Korean authorities are worrying over the forthcoming south Korea-US summit meeting that it would face cold shoulder and pressure from the US.  The US would exert pressure upon south Korea to become a member of the Quad in the summit meeting and south Korea would get nothing through the summit conference, the diplomatic officials concerned are fidgety over it.   The south Korean authorities have nothing to discuss with the US for the present and the US administration has taken an indifferent attitude toward issue of vaccine and other discussions.    The south Korean authorities have failed to maintain its independent stand on the issues of north Korea and foreign affairs, reading face of the US. Eventually, they are being driven into a tight corner, the political analysts commented.  The south Korean authorities are always obedient to the US and failing to utter even a word of protest against the US. It would only spawn knotty pr

  The south Korean authorities are busy creating an atmosphere in connection with an outline of the US policy towards north Korea.   South Korean mass outlets commented that it is something which can be done by fools only.  The US policy towards north Korea is no better than the policies of the successive US administrations and it is the reproduction of the past policies hostile towards north Korea. There is nothing new in the US policy towards north Korea, the main orientation of policy remains intact, though some change in expression. It is no exaggeration to say that it has crafty intention to stifle north Korea, the political analysts commented.       The hypocritical policy of the US would not go down with north Korea, the US is better to abandon expectation of result as long as the US administration imitates the decades-long policies, they described .

  Inter-Korean relations are bogged down. A broad spectrum of south Koreans said that the clock of north Korean policy stands at zero, it is attributable to sycophant and anti-north Korean policy pursued by the south Korean authorities. The present south Korean regime, which took power thanks to the victory of national candlelight resistance, has pursued policy of submission to the foreign forces and taken irresolute steps. It failed to meet the south Koreans' desire for development of inter-Korean ties, a head of pro-unification organization charged.      It has obeyed the foreign forces blindly without any independent stand outwardly but inwardly it has read face of the conservative group. It is no better than the conservative regimes in the past, he reprimanded. The south Korean internet websites carry articles in denunciation of the south Korean authorities which did not stop the leaflets scattering of the north Korean defectors and punish them in accordance with relevant law.

  Of late, the People ’ s Joint Action held a press conference to rename the People ’ s Joint Action to National Action. The People ’ s Joint Action which succeeded to the People ’ s Movement Headquarters in the days of candlelight resistance is inaugurated as the National Action, the National Action declared at the press conference. We will wage an unyielding struggle against those who deceived south Koreans and betrayed the spirit of the candlelight resistance by dint of general strike of the workers, and by concerted efforts of the peasants and the poor. We will make stubborn action to attain the right to live, justice, peace and prosperity, it pointed out at the press conference. They shouted slogans  “ Let ’ s totally abolish the National Security Law through massive turnout of the people ”  and  “ Let ’ s transform the society by struggle of the south Korean people ” .     Participants at inaugural ceremony of the National Action  

  South Korean people from all social standings vehemently condemn senseless act of scattering anti-north Korean leaflets by north Korean defectors as a criminal act fomenting the danger of war. The South Side Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration denounced the scatter of leaflets by the group of north Korean defectors through a statement.   The scatter of leaflets is very dangerous act as it threatens the safety and lives of the south Koreans living near the demilitarized zone, it said. The scatter of anti-north Korean leaflets exacerbates the situation of the Korean Peninsula. The scatter of leaflets, which adds fuel to the tensions on the Korean Peninsula, should be punished according to the law, it noted. The Solidarity for the People’s Sovereignty denounced the scatter of leaflets, urging the south Korean authorities to take a stern step.

  On April 24, 100 personages of civil bodies including the Bar Association for Democratic Society formed the Candlelight for Democratic Reform, Peace, Prosperity and Unification.  The south Korean conservatives met a stern judgment by the nationwide candlelight resistance. However, the present government which was established thanks to the candlelight resistance failed to uproot evil practices and repeated itself disgraceful history of slavish submission to powers, studying face of big powers, the participants charged at the inaugural ceremony.     They said that they would make giant strides toward the ultimate victory of candlelight resistance together with all political parties and groups which support the democratic reform, peace, prosperity and unification. Noting that they would inherit the spirit of candlelight resistance to further develop it, they set forth three points of struggle; inter-Korean economic cooperation and income, suspension of south Korea-US joint military exer

Slavish submission to foreign force   South Korean religious groups strongly denounce the US interference in domestic affairs and the south Korean authorities’ slavish submission to the foreign force. The Peace Council of Korean Religionists embracing Seven Orders, denouncing the south Korean authorities’ acts of servility to the US and reinforcement of arms, strongly demanded national independence and implementation of inter-Korean declarations.    Fourteen religious groups including Catholicism, Christianity, Buddhism and Won Buddhism in Gwangju said that irresolute attitude of the south Korean authorities, which have pursued the US policy hostile towards north Korea, derailed inter-Korean ties. They called for the religious men to turn out in the drive to establish equal relations with the US, maintain the principle of national independence ensure peace and prosperity. The religious bodies including the Korean Catholic Priests’ Council for Justice said that the south Koreans should

 Civil organizations including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Headquarters of Youth and Students for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration strongly demanded suspension of south Korea-US joint military drills and a cut in military expenditure. It is lamentable that the south Korean authorities fail to take the step without an approval of the US. They must stop the south Korea-US military exercises and reduce the military expenditure, they asserted. The south Korean authorities are studying face of the US, the former carries out its policy at the beck and call of the latter, they noted. They urged the south Korean authorities to hold stand of national independence

  The south Korean authorities are in the grip of crisis owing to Washington’s hostile policy towards north Korea. It is a gross mistake that they have made no progress in mending inter-Korean relations, the South Side Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration condemned. The “tightened alliance” and frequent joint military games would further derail inter-Korean ties, it noted.  The US policy for world hegemony is a barrier to the national sovereignty and peace of the Korean Peninsula, it stressed in a joint resolution. It called for the people to stand square against the US unjust pressure. If the south Korean authorities give up the principle of national independence and depend on the foreign force, inter-Korean relationship has no hope of recovery, religious and labor organizations in Gwangju said at a press conference

The Solidarity for National Sovereignty held a news conference to condemn Park Sang-hak who scattered anti-north Korean leaflets. It complained to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for Park ’ s crime in violation of  “ anti-leaflet law ” . Scatter of leaflets would worsen inter-Korean relations and threaten the lives and safety of the south Koreans living near the demilitarized zone, it stressed. Park noted that he will break the law and put it into action, scatter of leaflets is a deliberate and premeditated acts, it charged. It strongly demanded a strict punishment of Park.     Arrest Park Sang-hak

  The Headquarters of South Gyeongsang Province for Liquidation of Evil Practices and Building of Democratic Society held a press conference to declare  “ 100 000 people ’ s petition for abolition of the National Security Law ” . It has been 73 years since the Law for Maintenance of the Public Peace was replaced by the NSL. Many champions of national independence were arrested by the law and it was a tool to maintain the colonial rule of Japanese imperialism, it noted.        In demand of total abolition of the NSL   The NSL is the draconian tool which has suppressed the south Koreans desirous of national reunification, democracy and demanding the right to live for over seven decades, it said. It demanded total abolition of the NSL which is incompatible with democracy, the human rights, inter-Korean reconciliation and unification, it stated.

   Civil organization in Gwangju, Busan, Chuncheon, Daejeon and Sooweon held rallies to denounce Japan’s decision on discharge of water contaminated by radioactivity. They shouted slogan in the rally “Japan, taste contaminated water first”. The Japanese authorities’ decision even the Japanese people dislike is the shameless one as it plays a dangerous gamble on the lives of humanity, they strongly condemned. They tore "the flag of rising sun shedding rays" to pieces at the rally.        Japan, try water contaminated by radioactivity  

 The preparatory committee for promoting national reunification launched anti-US joint action to express their will to hold monthly meeting. The anti-US joint action was held through the rallies, press conferences and one-man demonstration in different parts of south Korea including Seoul. We cannot offer even a penny for stationing of the US troops in south Korea, The US, leave south Korea and dissolve the south Korea-US alliance which foments war and confrontation, they noted in a joint statement. They hardened their determination to wage the anti-US struggle across south Korea in unity with all anti-US forces.