South Korean Journalist and Peace Activist Jailed

Lee Si-woo published information on the US military presence in South
Korea. His news reportage was based on information obtained legally
through the government and the military, through Freedom of
Information laws.

Lee Si-woo's trial before the Seoul Central District Court began on 4
July.

Mr. Lee Si-woo spoke at the 3rd ICBUW Conference in Hiroshima last August, he gave a presentation about the DU shells stored at the US bases in Korea and Japan. The information itself had been obtained lawfully, that is, by means of the Freedom of Information Act, an American peace NGO in Hawaii, American Friends Service Committee, Hawaii Area Program Office. As his presentation was of great significance in many regards, news about his report was reported on the front page of The Mainichi Shimbun, one of the major, national newspapers in Japan.

According to Amnesty, Lee Si-woo is accused of "disclosing national/ military secrets" and propagating the ideology of "an enemy state" - in other words, of supporting North Korea. The authorities have specified that the military secrets they accuse Lee Si-woo of disclosing include reports on anti-personnel mines clearance and landmine casualties in South Korea, which Lee had examined in 2002 for the Korean Campaign to Ban Landmines. His investigation was reportedly given the go-ahead by the South Korean government and was funded by an organization supported by the government. No questions were raised about the legality of the reports at the time, and many of the sources he used to gather information are freely available on the internet.

He has published books and collections of his photographs, focusing on the anti-personnel mines which remain in the de-militarized zone separating South and North Korea (known as the Civilian Passage Restriction Line), and on the presence of the US-led UN Command in South Korea.

Following his detention, Lee Si-woo went on hunger-strike for more than 40 days, and is still said to be weak. He reportedly has difficulty standing and has to use a wheelchair. He appears to have received adequate access to medical care, and reportedly receives regular visits from his family, lawyer and local activists.

Please write, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Lee Si-woo, and urging the government to abolish the National Security Law or fundamentally review it so as to bring the law into line with international standards.

Send appeals to:
Minister of Justice Jeong Song-jin
Ministry of Justice
Gwacheon Government Complex
1 Jungang-dong
Gwacheon 427-725
Gyeonggi Province
Republic of Korea
Fax: +82 2 2110 3079
Email: webmaster@moj.go.kr
Salutation: Dear Minister Jeong

Worldwide Appeal
http://web.amnesty.org/appeals/index/kor-010907-wwa-eng