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 about 2 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 10% 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 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.
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