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