Korea, South

For the first time, the Supreme Court of South Korea upheld a lower court's acquittal of a conscientious objector who refused to perform military service due to his personal convictions other than religious convictions based on Jehovah Witness belief. 

First time in South Korea, conscientious objection to military service on non-religious grounds is recognised by the country’s Supreme Court and Military Manpower Administration.

A conscientious objector from South Korea currently performing his alternative service as prison staff has filed a constitutional appeal against the punitive alternative military service law.

The first webinar of our series, Campaigning for Conscientious Objection to Military Service, co-organised with QUNO and IFOR, is taking place on Wednesday, 3rd Feb. In our first event, we will have campaigners from Geneva (Switzerland), Seoul (S.Korea) and Bogotá (Colombia), explaining the role of litigation in their campaigns supporting conscientious objectors.

A list of some of those currently in prison for their work for peace. Write to them on 1st December, Prisoners for Peace Day, help us grow our solidarity!

Activists from the South Korean organisation World Without War have taken direct action inside the DX Korea arms fair, targetting companies associated with the war in Yemen, the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict, and human rights abuses in West Papua.

Water cannon produced by the South Korean company Jino Motors has been photographed being used against pro-democracy protesters in Thailand.

Shame on the enaction of the bill that degrades the significance of the first alternative military service for conscientious objectors.

Daeji P&I is a company based in South Korea builds a number of vehicles designed for use by police units, including water cannon and armoured personnel carriers.

The Seoul Central District Court rejected an appeal by conscientious objector Hong Jeong-hun who was sentenced to one year and six months by a district court for his refusal to serve in the military. Hong was not taken into custody and said he would appeal again.

In June 2018, South Korea's Constitutional Court made a landmark ruling recognising conscientious objection. In its ruling, the Court obligated lawmakers to change the law accordingly and initiate alternative civilian service for conscientious objectors by the end of 2019. After more than a year since the ruling, the National Assembly is still reviewing the proposed bills on alternative civilian service.

South Korea’s Ministry of Defense proposed a system for alternative service to the military on Dec. 28, following a historic decision by the Constitutional Court in June, which ruled that the existing law does not guarantee freedom of conscience. The court’s decision —which was a major victory for the movement to recognize conscientious objection in South Korea — has sparked a fierce debate over the issue. There have been tangible achievements, such as the Supreme Court finding a conscientious objector to be innocent for the first time ever on Nov. 1. However, the struggle over how the alternative service system will work is just beginning.