OUR  STAND  IN  THE  PROF. SONG  INCIDENT

We are here to indict the savage and primitive political system that confined Prof. Song. We want to ask the court whether it truly seeks justice and human conscience. This is nothing but a sign that indicates truly primitive and retarded democracy in Korea.

We are gathered here to solemnly warn people who bloodily threaten the human rights and sacred nature of democracy, by putting Prof. Song in jail with false accusations. We all know they are the ones who should be found guilty more than anybody else in history.

Prof. Song was one of the intellectuals that were expelled abroad due to their democracy movement. The dictatorial government suppressed democratic movement, and his activities abroad were only an extension of such courageous movement. His deeds were driven purely by the aspiration for the unification of the country. Now the authorities put him in jail, and this is like threatening the noble values and traditions of the democratic movement in Korea's history. This shows contempt and scornsthe past democratic movement in the contemporary history of Korea.

The basic principle of democracy is respecting and guaranteeing free expression of one's political and personal thoughtalong with the universal conscience. Despite this, the prosecution office distorts Prof. Song's books and past activities as pro-North Korea and anti-patriotic. This serious human rights infringement violates the scholastic and academic freedom of speech. The society has to protect freedomin academic research and relevant diversity, or it cannot expect a bright and better future. Freedom of speech and thoughtis the undeniable foundation for the dynamic power that leads the democratic society. Within this respect, we are ashamed to live in a society that imprisoned Prof. Song in a cold jail cell. We are gathered here to prevent a repeatof such a horrible incident.

Confinement of Prof. Song is not just a threat, contempt and confrontation to the scholastic freedom but also to democracy. Furthermore, it is a great shame on our democratic society.

The National Intelligent Service and the prosecution office intentionally provided and leaked fragmented, highly partial and baseless material to the press, so the public opinion would support their McCarthyism and senseless accusations to Prof. Song. The authorities did not provide any fundamental or realistic proof for such accusations; rather, they threatened Prof. Song to accept these accusations and to make shameful apologies to the people, based on their absurd presumptions. This is nothing but a crude and primitive action, and we feel like society is retrogressing rather than evolving. We are solemnly warning and demanding the authorities to stop these obsolete McCarthy tactics that only solidify the separation of the Korean Peninsula.

The confinement of Prof. Song is McCarthyism propaganda by the interest groups that benefit from the separation.

The authority cited almost a century old law  "Ideology Conversion System" - which is now totally obsolete, to imprison and to accuse Prof. Song. The whole nation is now witnessing a witch huntsince we can clearly see that the authorities are leaking improper information to the media. This is a public threat to the human rights in Korea which is now rarely found in our democratic and lawful country. This is a serious infringement to basic human rightsand a torturing of academic freedom. The Ideology Conversion System seriously violates the UN Human Rights Codes and general ethics in the whole world. We have to know that thissystem is nothing but a remnant of the past, Japanese colonization era. If the prosecutors were conscious enough to see the truth, they would not dare to adapt such a horrible system.

Therefore, the imprisonment of Prof. Song is an ideological torture that retrogresses completely the democratic evolvement of Korea.

Prof. Song promised to abide by the Constitution of Korea and to make public apologies to the nation on his arrival. He expressed his wish in leading an academic life in Korea with students until the last breath of his life. He sought academic life in Germany, which experienced the transition from separation to unification. He is an internationally acclaimed scholar for his in-depth knowledge and insight in his academic field. He stood atthe boundary of both South and North Korea, and his experiences and knowledge are priceless. Having him in our society only grants us cultural, social and philosophical benefits. Furthermore, he has no intention of turning back since he is now here at home. However, the authoritiesbanned him from leaving the country, and issued a warrant of arrest saying that he might flee or destroy relevant evidence. In other words, the authorities itself are violating their own legal proceedings.

Therefore, the confinement of Prof. Song is nothing but a waste of a national asset and his precious academic achievements, and this is a serious violation of the legislature itself.

From this horrible tragic incident, we realized the need for the re-evaluation of the anti-democratic groups who forced people to make an ideological notion conversion, to train spies, and who committed murder and surveillance on people involved in the democratic movement. So far, we were all generous enough to overlook their horrible deeds and ideas, but now, we cannot tolerateit any more. If we let them continue this time, we will not be free from the contempt of future generationsfor our deeds. They have to know that they cannot be excused or exempted this time, since our society has evolved into a new and better community. We even pity those who totally lack the ability in understanding their malice or their narrow-mindedness. They should learn that they are villainous and only do harm to society. They are the disease that has to be cured for the well-being of our society.

Therefore, the authorities request for consent to the arrest of Prof. Song is a psychological and cultural massacre toward scholars and other intellectual people. We believed that we were living in a civilized, sober and rational state, but the soundless authorities wantus to be blinded enough to ignore our conscience.

Lastly, we are all greatly devastated by seeing this horrible deed done to the tired and long suffering intellectual, Prof. Song, who has just come back to his home after 37 years of suffering. Why can the state and the nation not welcome him as the mother welcomes a forsaken child? We have to know that we can only see the unification of the nation when we embrace the tragic pain of both South and North Korea.

Therefore, as an individual but also a conscience minded citizen of this society: and as a person who dearly cherishes freedom and endear heart: and as if Prof. Song is a long lost friend of ours, we solemnly demand the instant release of Prof. Song.

1. We demand an instant release of the world-renowned scholar, Prof. Song to halt the shameful debasement of civilization and democracy.

2. The prosecution office can only be excused by their horrible and shameful deeds of blasphemy to the civilized and democratic society, by releasing Prof. Song immediately. We demand his right to freedom instantly.

3. All members of our civil community hereby solemnly swear that if this demand is not acknowledged, we will fight until the end for Prof. Song with help from international circles of scholars, human right activists and many other supporters in the world. We will indict the human rightsinfringement and debasement of democracy of Korea's prosecution authority. History will record this tragedy, and history will remember this forever, even after we are all gone from this world. Again, we demand Prof. Song's immediate release.

Oct 23rd 2003

Gathered here, 1000 people who demand the release of Prof. Song