Kirche und Gesellschaft Verkündigung des Evangeliums, gerichtet an den modernen Menschen mit seinen Fragen und Zweifeln, sowie Annehmen des Menschen mit seinen wirtschaftlichen, politischen und gesellschaftlichen Bezügen. Minjung-Theologie und Minjung-Gemeinden standen und stehen für diese Offenheit der ganzen Kirche; noch auf mancherlei andere Weise versucht die Kirche ihrem Auftrag gerecht zu werden. Demokratisierung und Menschenrechte standen lange im Vordergrund. Heute sind es eher die Bedingungen für eine Wiedervereinigung mit Nordkorea und die Frage der (politischen und militärischen) Sicherheit der Menschen in Nordostasien. Dazu kommen Probleme wie Erziehungsfragen, Korruption, Arbeitsmigranten usw., die alle besonderer Aufmerksam bedürfen. Viele der Texte wurden von der PROK ins Englische übersetzt und stehen uns zur Verfügung

Erklärung zum neuen Gesetz betr. Privatschulen

Am 20. Dezember 2005 veröffentlichte der Ausschuss für Kirche und Gesellschaft eine Erklärung zum revidierten Gesetz für Privatschulen, das am 9. Dezember vom Parlament verabschiedet worden war. In dieser Erklärung begrüßt der Ausschuss das neue Gesetz, weil es "für Transparenz und Demokratie in den Privatschulen beiträgt".

Das Gesetz verlangt, dass ein Viertel des 7-köpfigen Vorstandes einer Schule aus den Eltern und Lehrern gewählt wird. Damit soll auch Korruption verhindert werden. Das Gesetz verbietet auch, dass Verwandte des Vorsitzenden eines Schulvorstandes zum Präsidenten oder Direktor gewählt werden, unabhängig von der Schulart (von Grundschulen bis Universitäten).

Die Erklärung kam als Reaktion auf eine starke Protestbewegung, die vor allem vom CCK (Christian Council of Korea) getragen wird, einem konservativen Flügel der protestantischen Kirchen Koreas, und von der Grand National Party, der wichtigen Oppositionspartei im Parlament. Sie beschuldigen die regierende Uri-Partei der Zerstörung der Selbständigkeit der Privatschulen im Land.

Mission with Migrant Workers (Rev. CHAE Hae-Won)

Korea's dependence on the labour of migrant workers from other countries is a long-standing and complex justice issue in this society. Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers, who contribute so significantly to the Korean economy with so little recognition, suffer the pain not only of separation from their distant families but also of discrimination, marginalization, difficult and dangerous jobs and working conditions, and serious violation of their rights. In June 2003, among a total of 400,000 migrant workers, as many as 300,000 held illegal status. The PROK has about ten migrant worker centres through which it serves the migrant workers through many and varied ministries and actively, persistently lobbies the government for just laws and policies in this field. In this the PROK works closely with other church denominations and civic organizations. PROK ministers Rev. Hae-Sung Kim and Rev. Eui-Pal Choi are leading figures in this struggle for justice, widely recognized and highly respected for their thorough and specialized knowledge in this field. Many other PROK ministers and lay people, as well as PROK ecumenical co-workers Rev. Joerg Baruth and Rev. Jessie Albestor from Germany and the Philippines respectively, give knowledgeable, compassionate, even sacrificial service in this vital ministry. Rev. Joerg Baruth offers his perspective and experience in this field.

In its present attempt to reduce the number of illegal-status migrant workers, the government announced a final deadline of November 15, 2003 by which undocumented workers must "voluntarily" report to authorities, after which the authorities would carry out a massive crackdown of arrest and forcible deportation of those remaining. The reporting deadlines and subsequent enforced conditions differed according to the length of time the worker had already been in the country and are briefly included in Rev. Joerg Baruth's article. From among the original total of 300,000 undocumented workers, 180,000 had reported to authorities by the November 15 deadline, the remaining 120,000 going into hiding from November 16th. As this newsletter goes to press, about 2,450 have been arrested and some 1,800 deported since November 16th, with about 700 being held in detention.

As the November 15th deadline approached, Rev. Han-Sung Kim and fellow activists approached the churches with a request to give sanctuary to the workers, from which the workers could in turn actively protest against forcible deportation and demand justice. Most agreed, and currently about 850 workers are carrying out a continuous, round-the-clock live-in protest from several churches and church centres in Seoul and other cities. In Seoul these locations include the 15th and 14th floors of the Korea Ecumenical Building housing, respectively, the offices of the PROK General Assembly and the Christian Council of Korea (CCK;; not to be confused with the NCCK); the PCK Centennial Building; Korean Methodist headquarters; Myoungdong Catholic Cathedral; and the Anglican Cathedral. Rev. Hae-Sung Kim and other leaders, together with staff and volunteers of the migrant worker centres, are sharing the 24-hour continuous live-in vigil with these protesting workers, at the same time as leading them in outdoor protests and constantly and specifically pressuring the government for changes on the side of justice.

A highly complex part of this whole issue is the case of overseas ethnic Koreans particularly from China and the former Soviet Union, who are covered differently and even more discriminately under existing labour laws. Among their calls for justice, the PROK and others are demanding revision of the Law on Overseas Koreans. The migrant workers protesting from the sanctuary of the Korea Ecumenical Building and the PCK Centennial Building are specifically Korean-Chinese as Rev. Hae-Sung Kim and others focus intently on this justice issue within the larger protest.

Those calling for justice are urging the government to stop the forcible deportation of undocumented workers; legalize all undocumented workers; amend the Law on Overseas Ethnic Koreans; implement the Work Permit System and abolish the Industrial Trainee System.

Aus: Erklärung der 88. Synode der PROK 2003
"We Oppose the Forcible Deportation..."

"... The present government's decision to forcibly deport all long-staying illegal migrant workers has resulted in increasing numbers of migrant workers being driven out without receiving their withheld salaries and separation allowances. At the same time, small and medium-sized businesses are facing extreme difficulties because so many experienced illegal migrant workers are hiding in fear of deportation. Driven to the brink of forcible deportation, despairing with this dead-end reality, some migrant workers have resorted even to suicide.

Further, the Law on Overseas Koreans which leaves room for discrimination against our brothers and sisters of our own blood-line from China and the former Soviet Union has been ruled by the Constitutional Court to be unconstitutional, and therefore must be revised. Despite this, however, the government continues to apply the law with only minor modifications to the enforcement ordinances, thus, in effect, justifying the discrimination. Because of the government's inaction, the danger is very real that the proposed revisions will be automatically invalidated after the end-of-December deadline. The overseas Koreans are enraged by the government's indifferent attitude and threats of forcible deportation. ...." mehr