We urge Korean government to release Siwoo Lee

We urge Korean government

to release Siwoo Lee and to abolish National Security law


Siwoo Lee, who is a photographer and also a journalist,

has been on a hunger strike in Seoul prison for 41 days.

He has protested against the National Security Law which runs counter to the principles of pacifism, democracy and human rights; imprisoned for alleged violation of this law, he has started a hunger strike, saying "I will die for the abolition of National Security law."


Now he has become so enervated that he has to lean on a wall when he tries to stand up and he has rely on a wheelchair to appear for interview.


He is an author of the book called 'Peace Tour on the Civilian Passage Restriction Line', which was nominated for one of the 100 best Korean books and was presented at the international book fair held in Germany. In addition, he is famous for his photo-works disclosing the illegality of the civilian passage restriction line and the problems caused by the U.S. military bases in South Korea.

He also engaged in publicizing the fact that more than 3 millions depleted uranium were stored in U.S. military bases and publicized books which criticized the illegality of United Nations Command(UNC) and the unreasonable claims for enhancing UNC.


He was arrested on a charge of leaking military and national secrets as well as for alleged violation of the National Security Law of committing acts benefitting North Korea by producing and contributing articles. However, what he has written an published, for which he is charged, were all based on old publicly available documents from the U.S. State Department and the web-site of the U.S. Department of Defense.


Even if he had violated the National Security Law, we believe putting a journalist as well as an artist in jail based on that law should be internationally condemned.


When the U.N. Human Rights Committee adopted its concluding observations on 'International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of Republic of Korea' in November, 2006, it recommended:

"It (the Committee) is concerned that prosecutions continue to be pursued, in particular under article 7. Under such provisions, the restrictions placed on the freedom of expression do not meet the requirements of article 19, paragraph 3 of the Covenant (art.19). The State party should as a matter of urgency ensure the compatibility of article 7 of the National Security Law, and sentences imposed there under, with the requirements of the Covenant." (CCPR/C/KOR/CO/3/CRP.1, 31 October 2006)

Under the requirements of article 19, paragraph 2 of the ICCPR, 'Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.' South Korean government was named three times by the Human Rights Committee for the violation of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The South Korean government should be condemned internationally and deserves every rebuke from the U.N. and the international society for the latest anti-democratic acts against the freedom of expression in arresting and imprisoning Siwoo Lee under the National Security Law.

Democracy and the National Security Law cannot coexist.

We cannot expect any further progress of democracy as long as the government persists with the National Security Law to repress freedom of speech, press, assembly and association, the inviolable rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

We cannot talk of freedom while turning a blind eye and deaf ear to the life of an artist who is on a hunger strike to defend freedom of expression.

Release Siwoo Lee immediately!


National Assembly should resume the efforts to repeal the National Security Law!

We, human rights organizations, will continue to struggle for the release of Siwoo Lee and the repeal of the National Security Law together with the progressive groups from other Asian Countries as well as Korean society.