Rights Groups Form New Coalition

The so-called “New Rights” groups, which support sound conservatism, have organized a federation to improve human rights in North Korea, support prudent government, and liberalize education codes.

A total of eight groups, including the New Right ThinkNet, Textbook Forum, the North Korea Democratization Network, the Healthcare and Society Forum, and the Alliance for Liberalism held a press conference on Tuesday at the Cecil Restaurant in Jung-gu, Seoul and announced the start of the “New Right Network.”

“Today’s politics cater to populism, crippling the operation of the government. In addition, people are losing confidence in the economy due to widespread anti-business sentiment and slowing growth,” read the group’s inaugural statement.

The group also argued that the government’s obsession with equalization has obstructed the education of competent people with creativity, and that the government has wasted precious time fighting the past, unconcerned with the effects of globalization that grow every day.

The group said that populists disguised as progressives and conservatives who are too lazy to develop and innovate themselves are the last people we want to let assume the responsibility of the nation’s fate.

The network is planning to focus on a campaign to cap off the budget and improve human rights in North Korea.

“Until now, new rights groups had only suggested alternative policies, but from now on, we will be more active,” said Shin Ji-ho, the president of the Alliance for Liberalism. The network is planning to start a signature campaign to demand the resignation of Justice Minister Chun Jung-bae Wednesday.

Meantime, the Citizens United for Better Society, which already held a signature campaign to demand Chun’s resignation Tuesday in front of the Kyobo Building in Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul, demanded that Chun’s command authority over the investigation should be dismissed. However, the group is planning to send an open questionnaire to Chun, who invoked his rights under law after taking office as the minister of the Justice Department.

Jae-Myoung Lee egija@donga.com