Ordinary Meeting of the CBCK Committee for Justice & Peace

The CBCK Committee for Justice & Peace (President: Matthias Ri Iong-hoon, Bishop of Suwon) held its semiannual ordinary meeting at the Conference Hall of the CCK on April 9, 2014.

The Committee decided that it will regularly issue a “Message for May Day”, first announced at the “Mass for the dismissed workers of SSangyong Motors and all the workers of this land” which was celebrated at the Franciscan Education Center on April 29, 2013. The Committee also decided that it will call on workers, the government, and the whole civic society for patience, compromise, and sincere dialogue to overcome social conflicts all together.

At the beginning of the meeting the participants attended a lecture on “Controversy on Pro-North Korea Groups and the Crisis of Democracy” given by Dr. Lee Ho-joong, Professor of Sogang Law School. After the lecture the participants agreed upon continuous concern and effort for the renewal of organizations of civil authorities including National Intelligence Service.

The Committee showed its grave concern for the severe infringement upon human rights committed by civil authorities through the excessive exercise of their power, after they listened to the report that a priest, a sister, and a lay person were arrested on April 7, 2014 because they joined a demonstration against the illegal construction of a naval base near Gangjeong village in Jeju Island. The Committee also reaffirmed its denunciation of illegal meddling in elections by the government last year.