76-8 Position Paper on KOREA

Because of our continued concern for our Korean brothers and sisters in their struggle to live a Christian life and bring social justice for all in Korea;

BE IT RESOLVED that we reaffirm the Korean resolutions adopted at our national conferences in 1973, ’74, ’75, and instruct the LSM-USA Representative to the WSCF (or other council appointee) to maintain contact with the Korea situation so that the LSM-USA Council may make appropriate responses to issues concerning our Korean brothers and sisters as they arise during the coming year.

ACTIONS TAKEN:

LSM-USA Representative to the WSCF, Arthur Going, has remained in touch with the Korean situation through printed articles and through personal contact during the WSCF General Assembly held in Colombo, Sri Lanka this past winder.

In regards to the Position Paper the following article appeared in the LSM-USA Newsletter.

...Recently, it was brought to our attention that 18 prominent South Korean religious and political leaders – all Christians – have been convicted on violating a 1975 decree banning all criticism of President Park Chung Hee or of the country’s constitution.  A South Korean Court of Appeals has ruled that all 18 have been properly convicted.  However, the court has reduced the sentences of 16 of the defendants and suspended those of the two others.  The cases of all now go to the Supreme Court.