Introduction
"The
National Campaign for Eradication of Crimes by U.S.Troops in Korea"
The USFK(United States Forces
in Korea) has been stationed in South Korea since 1945. Presently,
there are 96 bases of 74 million pyong (one pyong = 6 sq feet) occupied
by 37,000 U.S. troops in South Korea.
The long history
of the USFK in South Korea has greatly influenced our society. Statistically,
people bound by SOFA (soldiers, civilian components, their families
and their relatives) have committed 2-3 crimes against Korean citizens
a day. Hence there have been over 100,000 cases of criminal
acts since 1945. Nevertheless, Korean courts have only judged
around 4% of these crimes (confined to US soldiers). In most other
cases, U.S. soldiers who have committed crimes against the Korean
people, have been released without punishment or due compensation
to the victims.
Moreover, the
USFK has polluted our environment and undermined our culture. They
have introduced the AIDS virus to Korea, brought recreational drugs,
and started a black market for the illegal trafficking of PX goods.
There is also the issue of Korean-American (Amerasian) children
abandoned by their U.S. GI fathers and the problems related to the
stunted development of the "Keejichon" ("military
base towns") surrounding the U.S. bases. These problems are
a direct result of the unequal Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA),
which has affected our society severely. As a result of the
lack of discipline those affiliated with the U.S. army act arrogantly
towards Koreans.
Thus, we are
not only referring to the victims of crimes by U.S. troops against
Koreans, but we are also talking about the human rights of all Korean
citizens and our autonomy as a nation. This is a national issue
that can no longer be pushed aside. In order to regain our genuine
independence, after over 50 years of enduring damage and injury
directly inflicted by the U.S. military, we are taking a small first
step. This very step is "The National Campaign for Eradication
of Crime by U.S. Troops in Korea."
FOUNDATION BACKGROUND
The brutal murder
of Yoon Kum E in 1992 is regarded as an important turning point
that encouraged people to form the "Joint Commission for Counter-Measures
Regarding Miss Kum-E Yoon Case." For 10 months, this coalition
of women groups, worker organizations, student groups, religious
groups, and human rights organizations, 23 organizations in all
connected with the common purpose of social change, worked together
towards the eradication of crimes committed by U.S. GIs, towards
reforming the unequal SOFA agreement between the U.S. and South
Korea, and towards equality in U.S.-South Korea international relations.
This coalition concluded that a more permanent, standing organization
was necessary, and so disbanded in order to inaugurate the founding
of "The National Campaign for Eradication of Crime by U.S.
Troops in Korda" on October 26, 1993.
PURPOSE
The purpose of
this campaign is to research and investigate the crimes committed
by U.S. troops against Korean citizens, eradicate such crimes, work
for the revision of SOFA toward an agreement that guarantees equal
rights, and finally reform the unequal system of international relations
between the U.S. and South Korea in order to work towards autonomy
as a nation.
PROJECTS
·Center for reporting
U.S. crimes
The Center receives reports of crimes committed
by U.S. soldiers, counsels the victims and works for compensation
through legal means.
·Planning towards the eradication
of crimes
This project involves investigating all the reported
crimes, numbering over 100,000 committed by the USFK since 1945
in order to plan countermeasures towards the eradication of crime
committed by U.S. GIs.
·Investigating the conditions
in the "Keejichon"("military base towns")
This project investigates the real situation of the "Keejichon",
which includes examining the environmental damage caused by U.S.
military, the PX black market, and misdemeanor offenses.
·Protecting the Rights of Korean Women
People who
are victimized by the U.S. troops are mostly women working in the
"Keejichon"("military base towns") as well as
those who marry U.S. soldiers. Their rights must be protected.
·Movement to Revise the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA)
This project was created in an effort to institute revisions in
SOFA, affectively making it an equal and fair agreement between
Korea and the U.S.
·Reclaiming the Land Occupied
by the U.S.
This project asserts Korean land rights for the
land occupied by the U.S. military, and works towards returning
the land back to Korea.
3F Suk-gwang Building 112 Ewha-dong
Chongro-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 110-500
Tel. 82-2-744-1211 Fax.
82-2-3673-2296 http://usacrime.or.kr E-mail:us@usacrime.or.kr