Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

South Korea: Statement to the Ruling of the Constitution Court

Welcoming the Decision Recognizing Conscientious Objection

(28.06.2018) Today, the Constitutional Court of Republic of Korea ruled that Article 5(1) of the Military Service Act (hereafter "MSA") does not conform with the Constitution of Republic of Korea as it fails to provide alternative service for conscientious objectors as a type of military service, while setting a time limit for the continued application of the provision until December 31th, 2019. The Court's decision against the legislative inaction implies that it is unconstitutional to not enact relevant law required by the Constitution. In today's decision, the Court recognized conscientious objection as the exercise of the right to "freedom of conscience" which is a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution and pointed out that Article 5(1) of the MSA is unconstitutional on account that it did not offer an alternative service for conscientious objectors who have been subjected to criminalization.

South Korea: Freedom for the conscientious objectors!

Gallery to the International Day of Conscientious Objection

(15.05.2018) To the International Day of Conscientious Objection balloons were rising up in front of the South Korean embassy in Berlin. For every conscientious objector in jail one balloon was set to freedom symbolically. With this activists from about ten organizations were urging the South Korean government to set free about 300 conscientious objectors who are in prison. The vigil was organized by Arbeitskreis Internationalismus IG Metall, Ausschuss für die Partnerschaft der Ev. Kirche in Hessen und Nassau (EKHN) mit der Presbyterianischen Kirche in der Republik Korea (PROK), Propstei GwangJu, Connection e.V., Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft – Vereinigte KriegsdienstgegnerInnen (DFG-VK) Berlin-Brandenburg, Deutsche Ostasien Mission (DOAM), Europäisches Büro für Kriegsdienstverweigerung (EBCO), Ev. Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Kriegsdienstverweigerer für Frieden (EAK), International Peace Bureau (IPB), Internationale der Kriegsdienstgegner*innen (IDK), Korea Verband, Mennonitisches Friedenszentrum Berlin. We thank for the support of Ev. Mission in Solidarität.

South Korea: To make the most of the opportunity for peace, the right to conscientious objection must be recognised!

(14.05.2018) Recognizing the right to conscientious objection to military service does not only involve guaranteeing objectors the freedom of conscience, thought, and religion. In addition, overcoming deep-rooted violence and militarism will be possible only when we acknowledge this right to object. In order for Korea to make the most of the precious opportunities of peace that have come in seventy years and to become a country of permanent peace, the right to conscientious objection must be recognized.

South Korea: Decision on objectors near, says Constitutional Court

(18.03.2018) The Constitutional Court is expected to rule by August on the legality of conscientious objection to military service. In 2004 and 2011, the court ruled against conscientious objectors, making national defense a priority over individual rights.