A new veterans organization is being formed, one that seeks peace. That is welcome news in that the country just witnessed a shooting spree at a DMZ guardhouse and nude pictures that lead to suspicions of civil rights abuses in the military. You have even higher hopes for it when you learn that it will be an organization open to regular citizens as well. The activity shows you it is possible for people discharged from the military and civil society to work together to campaign for military reform.
The military may have improved a lot compared to years past, but the fact is that it remains an area that is far out of touch with the rest of social change. The practice of overuse of the authority to classify secrets means it is hard to even approach the military, let alone allow for society's oversight and counterbalance. The result is that it is hard for the country to produce real military experts. It is only natural that so far civilian calls for reform of the military have never gotten more specific than the basic principles.
The nature of the military means it would be hard to expect active calls for change to come from within. The Korea Veterans Association is led by a few reserve generals, and has done anything more than be an auxiliary organization of the military. It might as well be a special interest group, and it is receiving large amounts of funding from the government, which would appear to be why it does not feel there is much of a need for reform. You can only expect change if there is a structured format where former members of the military can participate and speak up without feeling reason for hesitation.
It is only natural that it be retired brigadier general Pyo Myeong Nyeol, a man who has long called for reform of the military, who is taking the lead in establishing a new veterans association. However, it does not look like the road ahead is going to be entirely easy. The Veterans Association Law prohibits the use of names similar to the Korea Veterans Association. It appears that for a while it will be hard to expect participation from reserve officers and generals. The Korea Veterans Association is reportedly taking the indifferent position that there is "no need to bring up issues and publicize them." It is for that reason that there needs to be active support and interest by civil society in among other things demanding that the Veterans Association Law be revised. We hope to see the Korean Veterans Association, for its part, engage in self-reflection and take these developments as a stimulus for internal reform.
The Hankyoreh, 29 June 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] High Hopes for 'Peace Veterans Association' |
