[Opinion] Protest Specialists

Brothers and priests Moon Jung-hyun (66) and Moon Gyu-hyun (61), may owe their fame to their participation in various protests, rather than their religious activities.

Father Moon Jung-hyun has made a name for himself from his anti-American campaigns since he joined the “movement” in the 1970s. He participated in the rallies for the two middle school girls who were run over and killed by a U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) armored vehicle, for closing down the U.S. Forces Korea firing range in Maehyang-ri, and for a revision of the Korea-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement.

Father Moon Gyu-hyun has been involved in reunification and environment movements ever since visiting Pyongyang in 1989 to bring Lim Soo-kyung, who was secretly visiting there, back to the South.

As activists who go beyond their original professions as priests, the brothers have their own respective specialties.

Yongsan and Daechu-ri, Paengseong-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi Province, where the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division will be relocated, are emerging as a new hotbed of anti-American sentiment. A group of demonstrators there, under the title of the “Pan-National Committee for Deterring Expansion of the USFK Base in Pyeongtaek,” clashed with Ministry of Defense (MOD) officers and the police two days ago. Father Moon Jung-hyun was the leader of the protest.

Just last February, he changed his resident registration to Daechu-ri. He may move to another place later, but he is currently a resident of Daechu-ri for now.

Some residents have created a stir by claiming they will farm land that the government expropriated—according to legitimate procedures—for the relocation of USFK troops.

The Reunification Solidarity, the Students’ Union of Korean Universities (SUKU) and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), which are engaged in the pan-national committee activities, have so far cooperated with each other in a variety of protest activities ranging from anti-American protests to the abolishment of the National Security Law to strikes. They have instigated workers to go on strike at every opportunity. They could be called “protest collaborators.”

It is worrisome that the demonstrators might deadlock the relocation of the USFK base. Many people are concerned that this, coinciding with current issues between Korea and the U.S., such as the reduction of the screen quota and the free trade agreement negotiations, might help create a wave of anti-Americanism as in the aftermath of the death of the two middle school students.

It costs a lot of money for activists to stage so many demonstrations, however, and many people are wondering how they make ends meet. From the outside, it is hard to figure out who is planning, sponsoring and benefiting from those protests.

Han Ki-heung, Editorial Writer, eligius@donga.com