MINBYUN - Lawyers for a Democratic Society

1. MINBYUN - Lawyers for a Democratic Society MINBYUN’s Regulations - Article 1 (The official name) This organization is an organization for democratic society. ‘MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society’ is the English name (hereafter: MINBYUN).

2. MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society

3. 1. How was MINBYUN established?

5. 2. Purposes of MINBYUN MINBYUN’s Regulations – Article 3 (The purposes of the organization). The purposes of this organization is to contribute to the protection of fundamental human rights and to develop democracy.

6. 3. MINBYUN’s Activities and Structure

7. 3. MINBYUN’s Activities and Structure MINBYUN’s Regulations – Article 4 (Our activities) for the purpose of Article 3, this organization does as follows: • legal aid through defenses to protect fundamental human rights. • investigation and research for law and institutions. • education, publication, promotion and solidarity re: Article 1. and 2. This is necessary to assist the goals of other organizations.

8. 3. MINBYUN’s Activities and Structure 3. MINBYUN’s Activities and Structure (1) Legal Action t • Freedom of Speech • Freedom of Conscience and the Press • Freedom of Assembly and Association and Thought, and Freedom of Religion • Protection of Human Rights in Criminal Proceedings - Labor rights • The Rights of Health/ The Right to Life • The Right of Environment • Against discrimination against social minorities and women • Settlement of past affairs by lawsuit Rights of Freedom Social Rights

9. 3. MINBYUN’s Activities and Structure (2) Movement for Judicial Reform Reinforcement of the system for protection of human rights in criminal proceedings Unification of the legal profession, a judicial system with civil participation and law schools Efforts to secure democratic justification and a diverse makeup of the supreme court and constitutional court Reform of the prosecution

10. 3. MINBYUN’s Activities and Structure (3) Monitoring and Prevention of Abuse from Authorities Monitoring and criticizing the abuse of authority from the public security office Discussion about human rights

11. 3. MINBYUN’s Activities and Structure (4) Movement for Legislation From the movement for abolition of unfair laws to active movement for legislation • Movement for abolition of the National Security Act • Protect the weak during redevelopment • Legislation of SSM Suggest alternative legislation to promote human rights • Report • Announce statements of opinion • Petition for legislation

12. 3. MINBYUN’s Activities and Structure

13. 3. MINBYUN’s Activities and Structure

14. 3. MINBYUN’s Activities and Structure

15. 3. MINBYUN’s Activities and Structure General Assembly President Vice-President Advisory Inspection Busan Branch Gwangju-Jeonnam Branch Daejeon-Chungcheong Branch Daegu Branch Jeonju-Jeonbuk Branch Ulsan Bracnch Gyungnam Branch Executive Committee Secretariat Committee Judiciary U.S. Military Issues Legal Action Publication & Public Relations Correction of Past Wrongdoings Reunification Membership External Relations Public Welfare & Economy Women’s Rights Education Finance & Administration Education & Youth Environment International Solidarity Labour Minority Media International Financial Trade Relations

17. 3-1. MINBYUN’s Secretariat Secretariat Legal Action Membership Education Publication & Public Relations External Relations Finance & Administration Legal Action Secretariat • Distribution and management of legal action • Evaluation of law structure • Management of claim for public information

18. 3-1. MINBYUN’s Secretariat Secretariat Membership • New membership • Monthly meetings • Contact to bureau and branches • Regular business (hiking, athletic, general meeting, year-end party) • Data base Legal Action Membership Education Publication & Public Relations External Relations Finance & Administration

19. 3-1. MINBYUN’s Secretariat Secretariat Education • Training to become a lawyer • Practice of law school students • Study groups Legal Action Membership Education Publication & Public Relations External Relations Finance & Administration

20. 3-1. MINBYUN’s Secretariat Secretariat Publication & Public Relations • Online public relations (homepage, blog, newsletter) • Public relations to media • Commentary • Plan to publicize <Legal Action for Democratic Society> Legal Action Membership Education Publication & Public Relations External Relations Finance & Administration

21. 3-1. MINBYUN’s Secretariat Secretariat Legal Action Membership Education Publication & Public Relations External Relations Finance & Administration External Relations Solidarity of external organizations such as organizations of lawyers

22. 3-1. MINBYUN’s Secretariat Secretariat Finance & Administration • Membership fee • Budget • Build an accounting system • Actions of members Legal Action Membership Education Publication & Public Relations External Relations Finance & Administration

23. 3-2. Committee

24. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee U.S. Military Issues Committee • Research for contracts made with the U.S. Military, national regulations about the contract, and relations between the USA and Korea. • Review of lawsuits. • Finding remedies against various damages which Koreans suffered caused by the US Forces in Korea, for example through planned lawsuits. U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

25. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee Reunification Committee On the basis of ‘The reunification is the most important issue that Koreans face as well as the one issue that decides the future of the Korean peninsula’: • Research for laws of the relations between North and South Korea, and solidarity with related organizations • Concrete plan for reunification and research for legal basics and contents • Effort to resolve problems of the National Security Act and inter-Korean relations U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

26. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee Women’s Rights Committee Various activities for gender equality, protection of women’s rights and improvement of welfare • Six teams (family law, abolishing prostitution and sex trafficking, preventing from violence against women, poverty and women labor, publication and planning, membership management) + legal aid team for female immigrants U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

27. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee Environment Committee Legal aid for movements for the environment • Solidarity with other activist groups for the environment to file environmental public interest litigation • Publishing a source book of environmental lawsuit cases • Management of a learning resource center for environmental litigation U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

28. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee Labour Committee • Central Committee which has remained true since MINBYUN’s founding to protect the rights of labourers who are perceived as second-class citizens. • Investigation and research for labour disputes, defense in labour issues, legislation monitoring, solidarity to discuss various labour issues, labour administration monitoring, etc. U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

29. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee Media Committee • Suggesting alternatives and policies for development for the media’s role in our society. • Movement for improvement of press law with other media organizations for a more desirable media environment. U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

30. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee Judiciary Committee • Monitoring the actions of the Presidential Commission on Judicial Reform. • As a mouthpiece for MINBYUN’s positions on judicial reform programs. • Seeking legal and institutional strategies for judicial reform through solidarity and debating. U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

31. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee Correction of Past Wrongdoings Committee • Lawsuits against human rights violations by the government’s abuses of authority. • Raising problems for the clarification of the past to the judiciary. • Seeking the necessary legislative action concerning the effects of past wrongdoings on our society. U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

32. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee Public Welfare & Economy Committee • Finding various issues about economic public welfare, suggesting active policy direction to alleviate socio-economic polarization, preparation for legislative action, and actively seeking solidarity. • The problems of housing, consumer, middle class borrowing, and small & medium enterprises, etc. U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

33. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee Education & Youth Committee • Protection for the right to education and right to self-determination. • Support movements for democratization of education. • Activities for eradication of corrupt private education and for Private School Law reform. • Protection for the rights of youth and teachers. U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

34. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee International Solidarity Committee • Consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). • UN human rights monitoring mechanism to report domestic and foreign human rights conditions, and activities to enhance the effective national implementation of International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights. U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

35. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee Minority Committee • Movement to research for law for the prohibition of discrimination and to enact the law. • Research for international data such as the handbook of the European Court of Human Rights. • Solidarity with other organizations for sexual minorities, the military, the disabled, and female immigrants. U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

36. 3-2. MINBYUN’s Committee Committee International Finance Committee • Raising the problem of the self-righteous government’s method to conclude the FTA. • Monitoring international finance policy and controlling speculative financial capital. • Research for data of trade law and international finance. U.S. Military Issues Reunification Women’s Rights Environment Labour Media Judiciary Correction of Past Wrongdoings Public Welfare & Economy Education & Youth International Solidarity Minority International Financial Trade Relations

38. 3-3. MINBYUN’s Taskforce and small group TF Welfare State TF • Sharing universal welfare discourse and grafting this in to the business of all committees. Monitoring of Legislation TF Welfare State TF Strategy for Development TF Counsel of Emergency Measures Study Group

39. 3-3. MINBYUN’s Taskforce and small group TF Strategy for long-term Development TF • The goal is finding a sustainable way of development, which expands the base, through diverse discussions about the way of MINBYUN’s long-term development. • Collecting opinions of members in this process, and getting the chance to expand internal communication and power of the organization by forming a bond of sympathy which represents the necessity of strategy for development through discussions. • Writing and sending in the ‘way of MINBYUN’s long-term development’ report with these results leading to a general meeting in 2012. Monitoring of Legislation TF Welfare State TF Strategy for Development TF Counsel of Emergency Measures Study Group

40. 3-3. MINBYUN’s Taskforce and small group TF Counsel of Emergency Measures • Damage relief and support to recover the reputation of Emergency Measure’s victims through claims for a new trial, indemnity, compensation, etc. • Petition for legislation to help for Emergency Measure's victims. • Claim for a new trial against Emergency Measures through Constitutional Appeal. Monitoring of Legislation TF Welfare State TF Strategy for Development TF Counsel of Emergency Measures Study Group

41. 3-3. MINBYUN’s Taskforce and small group TF Study Group • Every other Tuesday evening • Meeting with writers once every quarter • Making a recommended reading list for diverse books about current issues and central topics for study • Supporting Branches for establishment of small groups in the Branches Welfare State TF Strategy for Development TF Counsel of Emergency Measures Study Group

42. 3-4. Introduction to Branch

43. 3-4. Introduction to Branch Branch Gyungnam Branch • 11 members • Ongoing trial about the construction of the Four Major Rivers (Haman Reservoir) • Business with corporations for commemoration of Busan&Masan Democracy Movement: civil procedure against the state, enactment of special law to investigate the reality about Busan&Masan Democracy Movement and to recover the reputation of all concerned • Drowning accident of Vietnamese worker caused by excessive force of police Gyungnam Branch Gwangu-Jeonnam Branch Daegu Branch Daejeon-Chungcheong Branch Busan Branch Ulsan Branch Jeonju-Jeonbuk Branch

44. 3-4. Introduction to Branch Branch Daegu Branch • 22 members • Joint lecture with intraregional professional organizations • Legal aid: legal aid against the disciplinary and the criminal trial of current state declaration of Korean Teachers & Education Workers' Union, incidents of National Security Law violations, claims for survivor's benefits of foreign sailors, ongoing damage suit against the congestions of Seongseo Junction • Main business: human rights seminar, and enforcement of Daegu-Gyungbuk’s joint lecture with professional organizations Gyungnam Branch Gwangu-Jeonnam Branch Daegu Branch Daejeon-Chungcheong Branch Busan Branch Ulsan Branch Jeonju-Jeonbuk Branch

45. 3-4. Introduction to Branch Branch Daejeon-Chungcheong Branch • 29 members • Legal aid and supporting: canceled disapproval of extension for foreign laborer’s employment period, criminal case of assembly held without previous notice, disciplinary of Korean Teachers & Education Workers' Union regarding the support for Democratic Labor Party, claim for canceling of disapproval against Bok-Sun’s convalescence who works at Geumsan factory of Korean Tire, compensation for defamation of Riviera Labor Union’s committee president Hongkyu Park, murder of NUGYEN VIET AN (Vietnamese) • Free legal aid center of the branch • Participation in legal aid team Gyungnam Branch Gwangu-Jeonnam Branch Daegu Branch Daejeon-Chungcheong Branch Busan Branch Ulsan Branch Jeonju-Jeonbuk Branch

46. 3-4. Introduction to Branch Branch Busan Branch • 24 members • Branch Manager Jaeseong Jeong, Secretary-general Yeongchul Byeon • Action for solidarity through monthly meetings Gyungnam Branch Gwangu-Jeonnam Branch Daegu Branch Daejeon-Chungcheong Branch Busan Branch Ulsan Branch Jeonju-Jeonbuk Branch

47. 3-4. Introduction to Branch Branch Ulsan Branch • 12 members • Legal aid • Pressure to withdraw from the Hyundai Motor Company’s Labor Union for Non-regular Workers, human rights violation, participating in fact-finding team of human rights, participated in a press interview of civic society organizations who demand to stop interference of Hyundai Heavy Industries in an election during a new by-election for the Head of Dong and Gu Gyungnam Branch Gwangu-Jeonnam Branch Daegu Branch Daejeon-Chungcheong Branch Busan Branch Ulsan Branch Jeonju-Jeonbuk Branch

48. 3-4. Introduction to Branch Branch Jeonju-Jeonbuk Branch • 8 members • All human rights violations, damages in labour area, legal aid in law disputes about local autonomy • Intermediating conflicts of Jeonju Bus Strikes • Training Jeonbuk Law School students • Main ongoing business: monitoring arrest warrants of Jeonju Bus Strike Labourers, and affairs of Labour Union Gyungnam Branch Gwangu-Jeonnam Branch Daegu Branch Daejeon-Chungcheong Branch Busan Branch Ulsan Branch Jeonju-Jeonbuk Branch

49. 촛불 시민들의 민변 격려 글

50. www.minbyun.org www.minbyun.org/blog admin@minbyun.org