Dear friends,

This is my seventh solidarity report with the people in the Czech and worldwide.
It was a great experience for me to learn how we can stand up together. The courage of the two Czech friends, Jan Tamas and Jan Bednar and more than 70% of the Czech people opposing the US radar, I think, really gratefully strengthened our will against the US missile defense system worldwide. The solidarity struggle also expanded our knowledge and gave us another chance to share the information one another. I am grateful that I could join on June 22, thanks to many good people’s invisible organizational efforts.

I was hesitating whether I would go to the UN plaza yesterday. I had been not so sure whether it was appropriate for me to do it while I still had lots of things to pack for Korea on July1. But I found myself standing again in the same plaza distributing the prints(attached) despite my lateness. There were some memories, news, articles that I guess, to push me to do it.

On June 25, the South Korean government finally announced its decision to import the US beef with little change from its former submissive negotiation with the Bush administration. People in the South Korea strongly protested against it but this time the SK right wing government most violently responded to them, during the near two months people’s protests. As one progressive SK press described, it was a “war against the people.” For more info:

http://english.hani.co.kr/kisa/section-014000000/home01.html

The great side is that including the youth who initiated the candle protest, people are learning about the real democracy and becoming confident about the creative power of themselves through the nonviolent protests. Actually, when I read the Korean articles, I am so enamored of people’s enormous creativities. It makes me laugh and laugh and my heart beating. There is already a word, “candle+(va)cation”, reflecting the majority youth’s decision to spend their summer vacation on the streets, holding candles. The youth’s summer vacation will be the most horrible nightmare for the current SK government. I am proud of my younger Korean generation: How cheerful, confident and courageous! For more info in English:

http://koreareport2.blogspot.com/

My another question is how we are going on in our struggle against the missile defense system. I heard Condoleeza Rice would visit Korea on June 28. It is heard that she would want to finish all the package negotiation with the SK government enforcing the US beef import, Free trade Agreement, arms sale, and burdening up of the South Korean people’s tax for the US military bases. The reason behind the SK government’s recent violent response must reflect the anxiety of the US, SK neo liberalists who want to see soon their own profit by the strengthened economic, military alliance between the two countries. The Koreans now say to their corporate-president- origin President, “We are not your employees.” It is noticeable that Condi also flies to the Czech on July 10. Her planned visit to the Czech on May had to be delayed because of the heroic Czech people’s struggle against the US radar. It seems obvious to me that only by our small steps, we can defer and differentiate the evil of the imperialism.

I happened to see Damien Moran’s wonderful article in the No Base Initiative website(http://www.nezakladnam.cz/en/
) where Jan Tamas is the Spokesperson. I have never met Damien but was very sorry that he could not enter the USA for the 2008 Global Network Omaha conference as a representative of the Poland, supposed to speak against the US missile installation in the Poland. He is originally an Irish man. Since it was helpful for me to know a bit of the struggle in Poland, I share with you. Thanks very much, Damien, for your great works.

Poland: March against Missile Defence, March 8, 2008 - Damien Moran http://www.nezakladnam.cz/en/908_poland-march-against-missile-defence

A great news: The SPARK announced the solidarity support statement with the people in the Czech on June 22. I so thank the SPARK staffs who have had all the hard struggles not only these two months but all these long years.

http://www.spark946.org/bugsboard/index.php?BBS=eng_2&action=viewForm&uid=29&page=1
Statement of Solidarity In support of the people's struggle in the Czech Republic Against the construction of a US missile defense base in the Czech Republic.

Finally, I want to express all my great thanks to my American and Korean American friends who gave me all the warm unforgettable friendship during my stay here. One of them is Tim Rinne whose speech I load here. It has been delayed so long. I hope I can load the other speeches as soon I can. The video quality is not so good. But some of you may find your beautiful face in the photos I inserted in the videos.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=507C51FB6F90F114
2008 Annual conf. _ Plenary Panel Discussion I (incomplete)

I also made a 1 min. video for the NY event on June 22. You may enjoy it, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1ZwJhyIvEY&watch_response
Where's the Food?

Thanks very much, everyone.

Sung-Hee Choi
Reporter for the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (spark946.org) Friend of the Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear power in Space(space4peace.org)

For the solidarity with the people in the Czech, please sign at Nonviolence.cz. Go to its homepage for more info.

For more info. about the solidarity with the people in the Czech, in the USA (as I know)

http://space4peace.org
http://space4peace.blogspot.com
http://www.newhumanist.us
http://www.cpdweb.org