hankyoreh

and one bow” on Jongno Street located in Seoul to urge the government to reduce tuition fees

In South Korea, repressive police measures that were once used against the student movement have been revived. Following a national rally of union members in Daejeon held on May 16, the police announced a ban on all labor assemblies in urban centers, creating a clash between labor and government. Several members of student movement organizations have also been summoned and are wanted by the police, leading some to say that police are resorting to measures that had prevailed during the 1980s and 1990s in South Korea against the college student movement.

The Student Committee Against Government Suppression said on Friday, “Thirty-two members of college student organizations have been summoned by the police on charges of violating the law on assembly and demonstration.” It added, “It is suspected that arrests warrants have been issued against 16 members, including Chung Tae-Ho, the president of the Association of Korean University Students.” The committee was created by the People’s Alliance, All Together, the Association of Korean University Students, and the Student Committee of the Democratic Labor Party in March.

It is reported that the police warned them that it would chase the members with arrest warrants if they refused the summons a third time. While the Committee says arrest warrants have been issued, the police refused to confirm details, and say that the case is currently under investigation.

The Committee says it will not comply and says,“The police are being excessive in their summoning. The intent of the investigation is to shrink the activities of college organizations that are critical of the government.”

Sung Ji-Hyun, a member of All Together whose 7 members are being summoned by the police, said, “Those who have been summoned by the police three times, such as Chung Tae-Ho and the president of the student committee of the Democratic Labor Party, have criticized the government policies. The government is hoping that use of these repressive measures may spread reluctance in engaging in assemblies criticizing the government among college students.

Lee Dong-Hwan, spokesman for Seoul Metropolitan Police Department’s Special Investigation Division, said, “We just summoned them because they violated the law on assembly and demonstration. It is not aimed to suppress college student movement organizations.”

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