A Letter from Korea's Civil Societyto the U.S Congress and the U.S Ambassador to South Korea

U.S has a full responsibility to clean up pollution of its military bases in SouthKorea

South Korea and USA have maintained a friendship for the purpose of the world peace, justices and liberty. However, the friendship between two countries is nowat risk. In order to keep two countries'friendship, we would like to send this message to our friends in the US.

The friendship between the US and South Korea is at risk because the US does not abide by the principles of an international community. The earth does not belong only to the present generation. We have a duty delivering the earth to our future generation. To do so, the world community, including the US, has built "the Polluter-Pays Principle". The Polluter Pays concept is a well-established legal principle in international, as well as American jurisprudence. The US is, however, not applying this principle to its bases in South Korea. XX According to the amended SOFA in 2001, US Armed Force in Korea shallrespect South Korean law and preserve the environment in South Korea; moreover, both governments agreed with "Tab A to the joint environmental information exchange and access procedures" and made it clear US Armed Force in Korea would clean up the contamination in returned US military bases. One of this agreement's was to exactly keep the Polluter-Pays Principle and to fully protect South Korean people and environment.

11 military bases which had been supposed to be returned in 2005, however, were not turned over to South Korea because the U.S did not remove pollutants in its military bases. According to the Polluter-Pays Principle, the US should remove the pollutants in US bases before the bases are turned over to South Korea. However, the US has refused to clean up the bases by arguing it would clean up the pollutiononly when the pollution falls within the meaning of the "KISE (Known, Imminent and Substantial Endangerment to human heath)".

The US Armed Force in Korea, early in April, announced a plan that they would remove UST(underground Fuel Storage Tanks) and other 8 items. However, since the plan does not include of cleaning up soil contamination, there are still potentials of underground water pollution and other types of pollution caused by contaminated soil.

Recent poll, taken in Feb. shows that almost 80% of South Korean people believes that the U.S has to clean up pollution within U.S military bases.

This represents that South Korean people agree with the Polluter-Pays Principle and now they are much worried that the US would not follow the Principle. On April 10th, Burwell B. Bell, United States Armed Force Commander in Korea warned that "if the South Korean government acts unilaterally on the issue, it would harm the alliance between the two countries ", which enraged South Korean people. South Korea thinks that it is the US who has acted unilaterally on the issue and has hampered the alliance of two countries. Hoping that the conflictions between South Korea and US will not grow more serious, Korean civil society has made six suggestions wishing both countries wisely resolve the pollution issue.

First of all, South Korea and the US should follow the Polluter-Pays Principle regardless of the result of the negotiations between two countries. As members of an international community, two countries should not break the Polluter-Pays Principle. Therefore, the result of negotiation should be within the boundary of the Principle.

Second, the US should have clear standard regarding the clean-up issue. The US has claimed that it would follow the KISE provision regarding the clean-up issue. The KISE provision, however, does not provide a valid standard because of the KISE's vagueness. In Arirang Taxi Annex pollution case, the US cleaned upthe pollution. But the US is refusing to clean up the pollution in the US bases where the degree of pollution is more serious than Arirang Taxi's. This evidently shows that the US does not have clear standard for the pollution issues.In addition, most of the US bases have contaminated soil caused by oil spoilage. But the clean-up plans made by the US does not include of cleaning up soil pollution, which is irrational.

Third, the US should follow the agreed negotiation procedure. The US had refused to reveal the information regarding the negotiations. The excuse of US was that it could only reveal the information only with both parties' approval. Suddenly changing its position, the US, however,distributed the information of "Implementation Plan of Returning Land"without South Korea government's approval. This was clearly against the US's former position and both parties' agreement. The US merely used the non-disclose clause to hide its information or to put pressure on South Korean government. Therefore, we claim that the US should act in good faith.

Fourth, South Korea and US should deal with the contamination spread near the military bases. It has already turned out that the underground water within the bases is contaminated. So, two countries should examine whether the pollution has affected outside of the bases . Now we are wondering if the pollution spread outside of it. If it is not investigated before the US army leaves the base, the residents will be huge victims. Then nobody can take the responsibility.

Fifth, the US Congress should establish a legal basis in order to resolve the environmental problems caused by the US military bases abroad. According to the environmental policies of the US Department of Defense, there is no legal basis to cover the cost of cleaning up pollution in overseas military bases. Despite of the Polluter-Pays Principles, US army avoids their responsibility to clean up the military base and cannot even set up substantial plans. Therefore, the US Congress should be at the head of changing the policies, which is possible to resolve environmental problems abroad.

Finally, US Armed Force in Korea and Korean government should make the information pertaining to the clean-up issue public. Pollution should not be a secret because it directly is connected to human life and security. Korea and U.S, both governments, however, have hidden the information. The residents who live near army bases do not know how much their ground and water are polluted and how serious the degree of pollution is. South Korea and U.S have a responsibility to inform these residents of the types and degrees of pollutions. In addition, both of countries should closely investigate the area not to miss any types of contamination.

Korean civil society is now facing a challenge, how to restore and consolidate the friendship between South Korea and the US. Two closely connected countries will have a better relationship if they respect each other. Korean civil society respects the US's emphasis on human rights and justice. We would like to see that the values of the US are not just nominal in procedure of cleaning up and returning the military bases. We hope the US does not give up their values due to the cost of cleaning up the bases.

Korean civil society hopes that the Polluter Pays Principe will be emphasized again at SPI conference, supposed to be held in Washington DC, with a help of voices of conscience in US. This letter is the first step to keep the Polluter-Pays Principle. To keep this internationally established principal, Korean civil society will organize citizens of Korea, the US and the rest of the world

Signatories

Park Kyoung Jo(Green Korea United) Kang Nae Hee(Cultural Action) Kang Chang Suk,Kang Hee Nam(Tongilyeondae) Kwon O Cang(The Solidarity for practice of the South-North Joint Declaration) Kim Suk Jin(National Association of Professors for Democratic Society),Kin Se Kyun(National Association of Professors for Democratic Society),Kim Sook Im(Women MakingPeace),Kim Eul-Soo(Committee for Independence, Peace & Reunification of Korea),Kim Myung Shin(Cultural Action),Kim Jung Bum(KFHR(Korean Federations Medical Group for Health Rights)),Kim Jung-heon(Cultural Action) Kim Jin Kook(KFHR(Korean Federations Medical Group for Health Rights)) Kim Hong Youl, Kim, Hong Young (Chun Cheon People's Solidarity) Kim Hee Ro, Nam Mi Kyong(Korean Women's Environmental Network), Nam In Soon(KWAU(Korean Women's Associations United), No Soo Hee(National Alliance for Democrat& The Reunification of Korea), Roh Joong-Sun(April Revolution Society), No Tae Maeng(The Peaceful Urban Community), Do JungIl(Cultural Action), Lee Yong Hee, Mun Kyong-sik(Korean Peasants League), Mun Kyu Hyeon(Solidarity for peace and reunification of Korea), Moon Sung Hyeon(Democratic Labor Party) MunJeong Hyeon(peacenomad 'peacewind'), Park Sang Jung(People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy), Park Soon Kyeong(Tongilyeondae), Park Sun Seng(People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, center for peace and disarmament),Park Won Soon(the Beautiful Foundation),Park Yeong Mi(KWAU(Korean Women's Associations United))Park Yeong Shin(Green Korea United)Park Yong Gil(Tongilyeondae), Park Yong Shin(KFHR(Korean Federations Medical Group for Health Rights)), Park Jung Sook(Tongilyeondae), Park Jong Hee(Greenfamily), Park Ha Soon(People's Solidarity for Social Progress), Paek Do Myeong(KFHR(Korean Federations Medical Group for Health Rights)) Suk Il, Ven. Se Young(Budaeco),Yang Jae Sung(KCEMS), Yang Jeong Hwa(Women in Film in Korea), Oh Jong-Ryul(National Alliance for Democrat & The Reunification of Korea), Yoo Soon Gu, Yoo Young Nim(The National Campaign for Eradication of Crimes by U.S.Troops in Korea), Yoo Jung Gil(ecobuddah), Yoo Chang Seo(KAFAI(Korea Association of Film Art & Industry)"), Yoo, Pal mu(Chun Cheon People's Solidarity),Yun Jun Ha(KFEM(Korean Federation for Environmental Movement)),Lee Young(MINKAHYUP), Lee Kyeong Ju (Inha University), Lee Kwan Bok, Lee Mi Hae(Women Organization against U. S. Occupation), Lee Sang Hwa(Korean Women's Environmental Network), Lee Seok woo(Inha Uiversity ), Lee Suk Tae(Lawyers for a Democratic Society), Lee Seung Ho(Corea Youth Movement Council), Lee Won Bo(Korea Labour and Society Institute), Lee Jang-Hie (Vice President External Affairs), han sang wook, Lee Jung I, Lee Jeong Ja(Greenfuture), Lee Jung Hee (The National Campaign for Eradication of Crimes by U.S.Troops in Korea), Lee Jong Lin(Tongilyeondae), Lee Jung Ho(National Association of Professors for Democratic Society), Lee Pil Du(National Federation of the Poor of Korea), Lee Hack Young(Council of YMCAs of KOREA), Im Bang Gyou, Im Joon(KFHR(Korean Federations Medical Group for Health Rights)), Im Hyeong Chil(Green Gwangju), Jang Song Hoi(HanChongRyun), Jang Young Gi(Environment and Pollution Research Group), Jang Jun Young(Korea Resources Recycling Federation), Cheon Man Kyu , Jeon Seong Won(KFHR(Korean Federations Medical Group for Health Rights)), Jeon Chang Il(Tongilyeondae), Jung Kwang-hoon(Korean People's Solidarity), Jung Gi Yong(Cultural Action), Jung Wook Sik(Civil Network for a Peaceful Korea), Jung Hyeon Baekk(KWAU(Korean Women's Associations United)), Cho Myung Rae(Dankuk university), Cho Jun Ho(Korean confederation of trade unions), joo Kyeong Bok(National Association of Professors for Democratic Society), joongmook(Indranet for Life community), Jin Won(Budaeco), Chae Young Geun(Inha University Professor), Chen Noon Ho(KFHR(Korean Federations Medical Group for Health Rights)), Choi Seung Hwan(Kyunghee university), Choi In Soon(KFHR(Korean Federations Medical Group for Health Rights)), Han Sang-Ryul(Solidarity for Reunification of Korea) Han Sang Wook, Hong Keun Soo(Solidarity for peace and reunification of Korea), Hong Seong Tae(Sangji University), Hong sehwa , Hwang Pil Gou(The National Campaign for Eradication of Crimes by U.S.Troops in Korea)