Civic groups divided over reaction to North’s test

Conservative civic groups hold a rally demanding that inter-Korean projects be stopped.

11 days after test, chorus turns to cacophany

Nearly 11 days after North Korea’s nuclear test, there are signs of disagreement within progressive and conservative civic groups. Since the test, the organizations had been pretty much evenly divided along the expected political lines, but now divergent views have emerged within the civic groups’ ranks.

Conservative camp shows various colors

Conservative groups had voiced a nearly unified opinion after the test, calling for the government to stop all inter-Korean exchange activities, including the Mr. Geumgang (Kumgang) tour program and the Gaeseong (Kaesong) industrial complex. However, they now hold differences on whether President Roh Moo-hyun’s administration is responsible for the North’s nuclear test.

On October 19, the National Emergency Countermeasure Committee, led by consevative Christian activists, demanded President Roh to step down, saying that the "Roh Moo-hyun government has lost its ability to represent the people."

However, Shin Ji-ho, head of the Liberty Union, said, "Other organizations have a problem because they are excessively linking the recall of this administration with North Korea’s nuclear test." Rather than calling for President Roh to step down, it is important to resolve the current crisis, Shin said.

In addition, the National Alliance for New Right called for a change of the administration through regular legal means; namely, the presidential election slated for 2007.

The level of countermeasures each conservative civic group was pushing for also varied. Shin Hye-sik, a spokesperson of the People Action Headquarters, said, "[South Korea] should obtain nuclear arms after withdrawing from the Non-Proliferation Treaty, because we can’t rely on the U.S. forever."

In contrast, Lim Heon-jo, an official at the National Alliance for New Right, said, "It’s nonsense for us to try to join a nuclear arms race, as we are demanding North Korea return to the NPT. However, it is necessary to re-deploy the U.S. tactical nuclear weapons that were withdrawn in 1992," Lim said.

The Liberty Union made it clear that it opposed the deployment of nuclear weapons in South Korea.

Progressive camp split over responsibility

Progressive civic organizations also hold differences in assigning responsibility for the North’s nuclear test and the level of countermeasures needed.

Liberal civic groups hold a rally to demand North Korea’s nuclear issue be resolved through dialogue.

Groups such as the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, the Civil Network for a Peaceful Korea, and the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy accused the North’s nuclear test of threatening peace in the northeast Asia, calling it a military provocation. Lee Sang-hun, policy head of the Korean Federation for Environmental movement, said North Korea should bear the responsibility. “Whenever the North’s nuclear crisis erupts, some groups argue the U.S. should be criticized. But, the situation is different after the nuclear test.”

However, the Solidarity for Reunification said the U.S. must bear a larger part of responsibility than North Korea for the nuclear test. Han Hyeon-su, an official at the Solidarity for Reunification, said, "The U.S. side must take fundamental responsibility because its hard-line policy led to the North’s nuclear test. The first priority is a policy change from the U.S. side." Han said he opposed sanctions against North Korea and the government’s move to impose more stringent sanctions against the North, including ending the Mt. Geumgang tour program.

The Civil Network for a Peacful Korea and the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy said the government might not be able to keep its engagement policy with the North after the nuclear test, while they remained opposed to South Korea’s participation into the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) or the suspension of the Mt. Geumgang tour program.

Environmental activists, who are sensitive to issues surrounding nuclear testing’s impact on nature, called for the government to stop its engagement policy. Lee Sang-hun, policy chief of the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, cited concerns that the policy may be helping the North’s nuclear weapons development.

Lee Tae-ho, an official at the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, said, "The South Korean government should persuade neighboring countries to denuclearize."