hankyoreh

Miryu, an activist who has been on a hunger strike for 46 days urging the legislation of an anti-discrimination act, speaks at a press conference outside the National Assembly building on May 26. (Bae So-ah/The Hankyoreh)

“I can’t help being angry and bitter. [But] I guess I’d say I’m also certain that this is not the end. That’s how I feel.”

This was the response Miryu, an executive committee member of the South Korean Coalition for Anti-Discrimination Legislation and a human rights activist with the civic organization Sarangbang, gave when asked about how it felt to end a 46-day hunger strike. After 20 seconds of silence, Miryu said in a low voice: “This is not the end.”

“I may be ending my hunger strike, but we will not stop the fight for anti-discrimination legislation."

The coalition held a press conference marking the end of the hunger strike outside the National Assembly in Seoul on Thursday, where they said, “Fasting was the method of struggle we chose so that we may lead better lives in an equal society. Thus, we have decided not to continue to the point where the lives of our colleagues are at risk.”

Speaking at the press conference, Miryu said, “What we have witnessed is a disastrous failure of the politics of this land,” indicting the Democratic Party and the People Power Party, which have failed to advance the discussion on an anti-discrimination act despite strong demands for its enactment by citizens.

“For the People Power Party to reject even a public hearing aimed at gathering opinions disqualifies them from being the ruling party. What’s the point of the president calling for ‘freedom’? Freedom that does not know human rights is merely the freedom of the powerful,” Miryu said.

“Even the Democratic Party, which has not even started to review the bill despite the earnest demands of citizens, should drop the pretense of being a democratic force,” the activist continued.

On Wednesday, the 45th day of Miryu’s hunger strike, the first legislation review subcommittee of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on the enactment of an anti-discrimination act, but the ruling People Power Party party did not participate, saying they had never agreed to hold the hearing.

During the press conference, activists directed their most scathing indictments at the center-left Democratic Party, which despite holding the outright majority in the National Assembly (167 seats) has failed to actively push for the law’s enactment.

“What we are confirming here is not the failure of the movement, but the failure of politics and the failure of the Democratic Party of Korea, which holds a majority in the National Assembly,” said Lee Ho-rim, executive member of the civic group Rainbow Action Against Sexual-Minority Discrimination.

“We asked the Democratic Party to use their majority to at least table the bill for discussion, and to designate it as an agenda item for expedited processing, but neither floor leader Park Hong-geun or Chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee Park Kwang-on have given us a response,” said Jio, co-chair of the South Korean Coalition for Anti-Discrimination Legislation.

Miryu stressed that the end of the hunger strike marked a new beginning.

“While I may end my hunger strike, the fight for anti-discrimination legislation goes on. Because the fight against discrimination is an unending one for those who will not abandon their dignity. This fight goes beyond the enactment of laws, and will inevitably lead to a fight that will fundamentally change our society and politics through equality. This spring, the two major parties who missed the opportunity generously given by the citizens will soon see what the outcome of that judgment will be. And we'll see each other again soon to start a new fight. The spring of equality has already begun.”

Anti-discrimination legislation was first introduced by the Ministry of Justice in 2007, but the bill was repeatedly proposed and shot down in the National Assembly for 15 years due to opposition from Protestants and other groups.

In June of last year, a petition calling for the anti-discrimination law posted on the National Assembly’s website was signed by more than 100,000 people, forcing the matter to be referred to the Judiciary Committee. However, the committee extended the review deadline in November last year to May 29, 2024, the last day of the 21st National Assembly.

Miryu was scheduled to attend a cultural festival held in front of the National Assembly around 7 pm on Thursday before heading to the hospital.

The South Korean Coalition for Anti-Discrimination Legislation said they plan to end the sit-in in front of the National Assembly on Friday morning and continue their campaign to enact the anti-discrimination law in the second half of the year after ensuring the recovery of their activists.

By Seo Hye-mi, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]