Rally Against the Deployment of South Korean Troops to Iraq!

The South Korean government has announced it's plan to send 3000 troops to Iraq THIS MONTH. In response, the South Korean people have been engaging in DAILY actions, including fasting and all-night vigils. Korean groups in the U.S. have also responded by organizing rallies in Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and in SF. Too many people have suffered already from this illegal war and occupation. We demand that the South Korean government respect the wishes of the vast majority of Korean people who don't want to see Korean soldiers put in danger while participating in the U.S.-led atrocities in Iraq. Please join hundreds of Koreans and other peace-loving folk around the country to protest the deployment of South Korean troops to Iraq!

Rallies scheduled around the U.S.:

DC – August 5, 1 PM
Chicago – August 9, 12 PM
Los Angeles – August 10, 12 PM
New York – August 11, 12 PM
San Francisco – August 13, 3 PM

<>-Bay Area Koreans Against Deployment of South Korean Troops in Iraq and Korea Solidarity Committee

RALLY STATEMENT

August 5-15, 2004

We are here today to demand that the south Korean government stop the deployment of combat troops to Iraq and call upon the United States to end its occupation of Iraq.

From August 5 to 15, Korean-Americans will be holding a relay rally in front of South Korean embassies and consulates across the United States. From Washington, DC to New York to Chicago to Los Angeles to San Francisco, we will protest the decision of the south Korean government to sacrifice lives of innocent people in support of an unjust war of occupation. Our sisters and brothers, our friends and family in Korea should be protected from the death and destruction that has claimed so many victims. As a people who have also suffered from war and occupation, Koreans have a responsibility not to perpetrate such injustice and inhumanity on another country.

The invasion and occupation of Iraq by President George W. Bush has not made that country or the world any safer or more democratic. This illegal war has outraged people all over the world and unleashed a wave of terrorist attacks on countries and foreign nationals who support the war. So far, more than 11,000 Iraqi civilians and over 900 U.S. troops have died. By sending south Korean troops to Iraq, we also fear that Koreans will become the target of the growing hostility around the world.

One Korean civilian – Kim Sun Il – has already paid for this war with his life. And the tragedy is that Kim Sun-Il’s death could have been prevented if the south Korean government had accepted the will of the Korean people – the vast majority of whom oppose the U.S. war in Iraq. The recent withdrawal of troops by the Philippine President Gloria Arroyo shows that at least one government understands how the life of even one person is more precious than any ill-conceived foreign policy objective. We urge you to do the right thing and follow the example of the Philippine government – even if it means suffering from the threats and insults hurled by the warmongers running the White House.

What honorable reason does south Korea have to become the third largest occupation force in Iraq? In poll after poll, the Korean people have voiced their opposition to their government's decision to participate in the unjust occupation of Iraq. How can any democratic government just ignore the desires of its people?

We call upon the south Korea government of President Roh Moo-hyun to categorically reject any pressure by the White House to participate in this bloody occupation of Iraq for oil and profits.

We call upon the south Korea government of President Roh Moo-hyun to rescind its support of the U.S. led occupation of Iraq, including its decision to send 3000 combat troops to Iraq, this month.

Lastly, we call upon the South Korea government of President Roh Moo-hyun to honor the memory of Kim Sun-Il by joining with millions of people around the world in condemning the U.S.-led war in Iraq, and the continuing occupation of that country.

End the occupation now.