Student activists, wanted by the police for being members of the national student organization Hanchongnyeon, have been separated from their families for many years, living in university campuses 24 hours a day in order to avoid arrests. They call themselves "walking hospital cases," suffering all sorts of illnesses that they have no way of getting proper treatment for. Mothers of these students feel guilty about sleeping in a warm bed while their children live in hiding. At family gatherings, it is not their desperately missed children but detectives who come calling. Despite this absurd reality enforced separation for the "crime" of being elected a student representative, these fugitives and their families have not given up hope in the new Roh government.

▶ Round-the-clock tension and poor living conditions have made "walking hospital cases" out of the students who are wanted by the police for being "student representatives." The students got to meet their beloved families on March 14 in Kyunghee University. If only the reunion was happening in home sweet home… <photograph by Lee Jeong-min of NGO Times>

Bang Young-sook (aged 64), whose son has been running from the police for some seven years, says, "Each time the administration changed hands, they'd just promise to 'make an effort' to help my son, but this time, I believe my son will gain his freedom." Talking about the situation that families like hers face, Bang says, "It's hard enough worrying about my son without having to bear the hurt of the strange looks people throw at us. My neighbors have started to avoid me for fear that they might be disadvantaged in some way, and so I've stopped going to church."

When she first learnt that her son was hiding from the police, Bang was thrown into despair, believing that it was the end of her family. But as she got to know members of Mingahyop, an organization of families advocating civil rights for prisoners of conscience, she came to realize that her son was "doing something that grown-ups had failed to do." What hurts her most is the stigma her recently-married daughter has to face as "so-and-so's older sister." Detectives had come to the wedding to keep a lookout in case Bang's son made an appearance.

Says Bang, "There is no hope for a nation that wants to block the eyes and ears and mouths of students. I just long for the day when I can feed my son a warm meal. He's become so weak from sleeping on cold floors." Mothers like Bang refuse to turn on the heating in their homes even in the winter. They cannot bring themselves to live in comfort when their children are losing their health to tension and irregular lifestyles.

The results of a recent medical check-up that a humanitarian doctors' group did on about 50 of the students prove that the mothers' fears are not unfounded.

Kim Ju-young (pseudonym, aged 25), on the police wanted list for 3 years now, says, "The doctor diagnosed weakened heart functions, caused by frequent palpitations due to fear of arrest. He said my liver's also in poor shape, and recommended closer medical examination, which I can't even dream of in my present situation." The female students are particularly vulnerable, with many of them suffering from irregular menstrual periods. But they commented, to this reporter's dismay, that irregular periods do not even count as an illness.

Han Young-hwa (pseudonym, aged 25), said, "If you look at the students sitting on electric heating pads spread on the cold floor, massaging their arms and legs, it's a scene right out of a general hospital. Most of us have stomach convulsions from irregular meals, and aching shoulders and backs from sleeping in uncomfortable make-shift beds. But such ailments are so common it's taken lightly." Han went on in a bitter voice, "I heard that the doctors were shocked at the results of a questionnaire showing that more than 30 of the 100 students surveyed were suffering from hypochondria. Try finding another group where 30% of its members are mentally depressed!"

Yu Young-eop, representative of the student activists wanted by the police, says, "Living in hiding or on the run for many years in a constant state of anxiety has wreaked havoc on our lives. Most of us either suddenly gain or lose weight, reaching a state where we no longer have control over our bodies."
Dr. Kim Jeong-beom who runs a clinic in Incheon explains, "The secret to good health is a regular lifestyle, sufficient sleep and a nutritious diet, none of which are present in the students' lifestyle. So their lifestyle itself is a threat to their health."

Hanchongnyeon, or the Korea Federation of Student Councils, has been outlawed as an enemy-benefiting group for the past six years. More than 1,500 Hanchongnyeon members have become wanted criminals, and 787 of them have been arrested. As of March this year, students who have been running from the police for one to seven years number 180. These students all say that it is a national disgrace for a government to go after students who have been chosen as representatives by fellow students in democratic elections.

Cho Sun-hee (pseudonym, aged 25), into her third year as a fugitive, says, "I've been doing nothing but make plans for the two years since graduating. I want to become a women's rights activist, but I'm just stuck here unable to do anything to pursue my goals." She confesses that she is beginning to "lose faith." Cho's mother did not make it to the family reunion event, because she could not take time off from her factory job. Recalls Cho, "She came to school to meet me during the New Year holidays, but she just sat there with lips tightly closed and left in just five minutes. I cried my eyes out that day."

Cho works part-time on campus in order to support herself. At an age when she ought to be holding down a proper job and supporting her mother, she does not want the added guilt of having to depend on her mother for pocket money. She longs for the day when she can say goodbye to taking cold showers in school toilets and sleeping on cold floors. She cries, "All I want is not to be cut off from society, to have a proper job and form close relationships with people. Is that asking too much?"

The government recently announced that it is thinking of letting off the Hanchongnyeon members who have become political fugitives. On March 14, Moon Jae-in, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, met with the representative of the students' families. Moon promised to resolve the issue by May through a special amnesty on the occasion of the President's inauguration.

Kang Wi-won, executive secretary of the Social Committee to Guarantee the Legitimate Activities of Hanchongnyeon (Social Committee), explains, "The courts are complaining that they are being forced to handle an issue that politicians ought to be taking care of. Judges are put in a difficult position since they have to follow existing laws in dealing with Hanchongnyeon students. Most people feel that this issue should be fundamentally resolved by the government and legislators." Furthermore, since defining Hanchongnyeon as an illegal organization that 'benefits the state enemy' was a political decision in the first place, politicians should be responsible for now legalizing the organization.

Kang added that the newly-elected members of Hanchongnyeon who form the 11th Convention of Representatives should not be outlawed in the way all their predecessors have been since 1998. Based on existing laws, prosecutors and the Ministry of Justice should make arrangements to investigate each individual member's activities instead of conveniently outlawing the whole lot for being members of an illegal group. Kang warns, "What the government should be worrying about is students getting the impression that showing concern for national problems will be taken as 'enemy-benefiting' action. Grownups complain that university students these days are apolitical, but they don't seem to realize that they are suppressing any political awareness the students might have by condemning it as enemy-benefiting!"

April brings tidings of spring, but the students hiding from the police cannot even freely walk around outdoors on campus. Their one desire is a sensible decision from the new administration. This desire will culminate in another family reunion organized by the Social Committee, Mingahyop and other human rights groups on April 4 in Yonsei University under the theme 'First Meeting in the New Spring.' May these families soon welcome the day when they no longer have to be split by invisible borders.

<reported by Na Shin Ah-Ryeung arshin@womennews.co.kr>

The government is finally seeking to put in place a system of gender cognitive budget analysis in making national policies. The system will include guidelines for analyzing and evaluating by gender the effects of policies closely related to women such as education, welfare and employment policies.

Minister of Gender Equality Ji Eun-hee revealed in her report to the President on April 4 that the Ministry plans to "promote a gender cognitive budget analysis which assesses whether budgets have been allocated from a gender equal perspective." Minister Ji reported, "Test analyses will be carried out on the major projects of ministries dealing with education, welfare and employment, as these ministries directly affect women's social participation."

Besides the gender cognitive budget analysis initiative, Minister Ji's report included other tasks that the ministry is planning to take on, such as a planning team for the abolishment of the hoju system, an anti-prostitution taskforce commissioned by the Prime Minister, and the legislation of the 'Basic Act on Equal Families.'

Regarding the gender cognitive budget analysis initiative, President Roh ordered the Ministry of Gender Equality to "select a case to conduct a pilot test, and to follow up with a further report."
The following is a summary of Minister Ji's report to the President.

<Pending issues>

▲Planning team for the abolishment of the hoju system = The Ministry plans to form a civil-government joint team with representation from relevant government agencies such as the Justice Ministry and women and civil groups. The team is also expected to look into viable alternatives to replace the hoju system, such as family registrars and one registrar per individual.

▲Transfer of childcare affairs to the Gender Equality Ministry = In partnership with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, a cooperative system will be set up to transfer childcare affairs to the Gender Equality Ministry. With June as the deadline, relevant regulations such as the Government Organization Act will be revised to facilitate the transfer, and a planning team will be set up to outline a long-term vision for improving childcare systems.

▲Anti-prostitution team = The team will be in charge of strengthening punitive measures against prostitution brokers and buyers, and supporting the relief and rehabilitation of victimized women. The plan is to campaign constantly to raise public awareness that prostitution is illegal. The team will be supervised by the Prime Minister and charged with eradicating prostitution.


<Controversial issues>

▲gender cognitive budget analysis = An initiative to analyze and evaluate by gender the effects of national policies and to allocate budgets on a gender cognitive basis. Criteria will be set to reflect the gender cognitive budget analysis method in government guidelines for budget allocation, so that projects that particularly affect women's social participation, such as education, welfare and employment, are allocated budgets on a gender cognitive basis.

▲Strengthening the functions of the Gender Equality Ministry = From April onwards, the Women Policies Adjustment Meeting and the women policy supervision system will be chaired by the Prime Minister. The women policy supervision system will be expanded, so that supervising officers, currently dispatched to six ministries, can be positioned in at least ten government agencies. Local autonomies will be recommended to accept women policy supervisors.


<Strategic issues>

▲Legislating the Basic Act on Equal Families = For the first time in Korea, a nationwide survey will be conducted this year on family structures and the changing roles of family members. In addition, the Basic Act on Equal Families will be legislated, containing a comprehensive national family planning initiative.

▲Ranking Korea world's 30th in terms of women's status = The plan is to elevate Korean women's status, currently ranking 61 among 66 countries, to 30th by the year 2007. To this end, the Ministry will push for more women appointments to ministerial, vice-ministerial and public agency head positions. In addition, the ratio of women in government committees, currently 30%, will be increased to 40% by 2007, and the women civil servant employment quota will be expanded.

<reported by Kim Sun-hee sonagi@womennews.co.kr>

▶National Teachers' Union spokesperson Song Won-jae fields reporters' questions at the press conference held on April 9 to announce the union's position on the suicide of Bosung Elementary School Principal. <photograph by Min Won-ki>

As the stir created by the suicide of Bosung Elementary School principal continues to spread, parts of the media have launched a "witch-hunt" aimed at the National Teachers' Union (NTU) and the schoolteacher involved. This has prompted a call on the media to put a stop to irresponsible and judgmental reports.

What is even more worrying is that the sparks flying off this case are threatening to burn women schoolteachers, who are already bearing the brunt of much discrimination at work.

The principal of Bosung Elementary School, a 48-year-old Mr. Suh, committed suicide by hanging himself on a tree next to his mother's house in Chungnam province. He was discovered around 10 a.m. on April 4. Part of the media took up the case and condemned the NTU, reporting that when Suh had forced a woman intern teacher to serve him tea, undermined her authority as a teacher and derogated the NTU, the NTU applied undue pressure on Suh by demanding a formal apology.

Countering such accusations, the NTU held a press conference on April 9 and claimed, "Reforms are in order in an education system where it is openly stated that 'entertainment of superiors' is part of schoolteachers' duties, particularly women schoolteachers' duties. Suh's death is regretful, but it is wrong to condemn the entire NTU when the exact reasons behind the suicide have yet to be discovered."

Through its editorial on April 9 entitled "NTU, look at yourself now in the mirror of your original intentions," The Chosun Ilbo accused the NTU of "creating a legacy of negative influence on education with its over-enthusiasm, political rather than educational struggles, ideological tendencies, self-righteousness and obstinacy, and a self-centered attitude that challenges vested interests while seeking to maximize its own profits." In short, The Chosun Ilbo seems out to blame the whole suicide incident on the NTU.

The JoongAng Ilbo joined the witch-hunt with its article on April 8 entitled "Funeral Turns into Censorial Debate on NTU." The article condemns the NTU and the schoolteacher involved as murderers, using such expressions as "the principal who committed suicide due to harassment from the NTU demanding his apology."

The possibility that such pronouncements of the "death sentence" on the NTU and the schoolteacher even before the conclusion of fact-finding would mislead the public has led to a call on the media to restrain itself.

The Hankyoreh , for example, expressed its concern through an editorial on April 9 saying, "In a situation where the motive behind the suicide has yet to be confirmed, extreme precaution must be taken against those who to want to put the entire blame on an organization that it has always considered a pain in the neck."

The intern teacher in question, a Ms. Jin, says, "For picking up the courage to speak out against injustice, I have become the target of hurling accusations. I have lost all hope, even before realizing my dream of becoming a teacher."

The National Parents' Association for Good Education issued a statement saying, "That women teachers are still forced to serve tea is a reflection of the undemocratic school administration system that has failed to break away from outdated practices and authoritarian inclinations." The statement goes on to claim that "unilateral condemnation of a specific group or individual even before the truth of the case is discovered will lead to even greater conflict."

A schoolteacher belonging to the Gyeongbuk branch of the NTU posted an article on the Internet expressing her concerns. After "offering the deepest condolences to the bereaved family," she went on to say, "Nevertheless, the savage slander against all of NTU's past achievements is going too far." Her worry is shared by a considerable number of women teachers who are hoping against hope that the incident will not become a stumbling block in seeking rightful treatment for women teachers.

As one netizen put it, "No amount of justification can make up for a person's death, and the schoolteacher involved should apologize, but it is a pity that the gravity of the situation has scared off a much-needed debate on the unacceptable practice of degrading women teachers to the extent of forcing them to serve tea to principals."

Park (aged 28), who works in an elementary school points out, "There is no mention anywhere of the tremendous psychological suffering that the teacher in question must have gone through in asking the principal for an apology in an environment that is so conservative that even joining the NTU requires considerable courage. The incident has become an alarm signal for the treatment of women teachers, which is bad enough as it is."

Kim Mi-young, director of welfare at the NTU, expressed her frustration, saying, "The teacher involved is clearly also a victim, but media coverage bent on sensationalism has suddenly turned her into a murderer. How much longer must we wait for people to stop thinking that it's perfectly alright for women teachers to serve tea? The ridiculous turn of events following the suicide has deprived women teachers facing similar discrimination of even the right to complain."

<reported by Na Shin Ah-Ryeung arshin@womennews.co.kr>

(The Women's News http://www.womennews.co.kr)  

Articles condensed by Lee- In-hwa, translated by Cho Eung-joo.

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