The Grand National Party (GNP) has submitted its revision proposal on the National Security Law (NSL) to the National Assembly, signaling the start of official discussion on whether to abolish or amend it. The GNP's revision bill, however, comes a full half a year's time since Uri Party submitted its bill to abolish it last October. During that time the GNP overtook and occupied the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's chambers to prevent Uri's version from being introduced for committee review. It has demonstrated a lack of good faith for lack of concern for what the people desire and are interested in, saying that it would only discuss the NSL if the ruling Uri Party gives up on its position about abolishing the law completely. That is why one has complicated feelings looking at the late appearance of the GNP version.
The Hankyoreh has repeatedly noted that the NSL is an anachronistic affront to human rights and as such should be abolished. It therefore does not support the position of the GNP, which wants only to go so far as amending it because it is a "law defending the state." The GNP should be credited with proposing improvements over the law in its current form by excluding "failure to report" pro-North Korean activities from the list of punishable crimes and limit the prosecution of "praise and encouragement" for the North to cases in which such activity is done with intent to aid the enemy. But the GNP has chosen not to exclude from its proposal changing the law's name and easing the stipulation against "identifying oneself as a government" in order to keep those cards available for later negotiation with Uri. One has to call that a lack of good faith for putting priority on political transactions.
It looks like the road ahead will not be a smooth one, because the positions of Uri and the GNP are so far apart and because the GNP continues to insist that both sides vote on it by agreement and on discussing the issue outside of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee format. There are diverse views within the National Assembly's membership, however, with 107 ruling and opposition legislators being in favor of abolishment. In bringing the diverse positions together it will be more important that the official procedures are followed, from the committee to the main floor or a full-member committee, instead of putting the discussion to a separate format based on a total of four representatives from both parties. This is also not something that should be tied to the exact position of either party. The principle of this is that if there is no agreement it should just be put to a vote.
The will of the people was expressed in last year's National Assembly election by giving democratic forces a majority. It was a call to complete this country's democratization by building a nation with a culture of human rights. Abolishing the NSL would be a symbol of that. It is necessary for intra-Korean reconciliation and the peace of the Korean nation. We would like the GNP to keep that historical mission in mind. The NSL is not something that should be approached with partisan strategizing.
The Hankyoreh, 15 April 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Don't Be Partisan About NSL |
