The Censure Press Conference on Police's Oppressive Act of Brutality for Subjugation against
“YMCA Candlelight Peace Action
-Let's Lie Down on the Street ” on June 28 th 

“If Korea President Myoung-Bak Lee Tramples the Peaceful Candles,
We will Lie Down at the Frontline to be Trampled Again!”

-Our Non-violent, Non-resistant Candlelight Peace Action will Continue!-

Korea President Myoung-Bak Lee have caused collective blockage against the peoples' peaceful candlelight vigil which have continued for approximately 50 days. Throughout the history of Korean civil society and of democratization, it is difficult to find in anywhere in Korea and beyond. What is worse, he caused injuries against civilians who were even on sidewalks. He made a nation his enemy whom he have to expose as rioters by forcefully hauling the people of all ages and both genders—from mothers with baby buggies, youths to senior citizens—and suppressing the citizens' peaceful candlelight vigil with clubs and shields as weapons. In dawn of June 28 th , the President did not hesitate to raid, seize and search offices of two civic groups which have been organizing the months of street candlelight vigil against US beef imports. It is unimaginable even during military autocracy days of 20-30 years ago in Korean Peninsula .

Is Lee's presidency a government that represents Korean nation?
-President Lee is doing things that should not have been done-
On June 28 th , President Lee have mercilessly assaulted the members of “YMCA Candlelight Peace Action Group –Let's Lie Down On The Street -” and innocent citizens who were lying down on the street without any defense methods, in order to protect the citizens' safety from the brutal act of police, and make assertion for the citizens' safety and people's reasonable demands to safeguard public health and life which is threatened by the Korean government stance on the US-imported beef issue, especially of mad cow disease.

The citizens with candles and colorful placards demanded immediate renegotiation of beef import deal with the United States . They condemned President Lee's policies and called for the government to repent and pay attention to public demands, as all government policies have been unilateral without reflecting the wishes of the public. The massive gatherings spoke volumes about how negligent President Lee has been in listening to the public opinions, and were infuriated as the government failed to guarantee their health and life which are the most fundamental thing citizens expect from their government.

The citizens and YMCA members who were lying down on streets without any space to escape were cruelly trampled by the clubs, shields and boots of the helmeted riot police. President Lee have managed to produce a circumstance which many citizens' heads were injured, arms were broken and damaged their backs. If the President at least had understanding of democracy and human rights, no, if he had self-consciousness at the fact that his government was supposed to represent all Korean people, this matter was not supposed to happen, which should not have happened.

We warn the President Lee that he has no choice but to face full-scale resistance from the citizens.
Now we are holding serious question of “is Lee's presidency a democratic government which was elected by the peoples' votes?” caused by the president's actions under facade of “a reasonable public power exercise in order to secure law and order”; we also raise a fundamental question of “is there democracy and human rights in this land?”. We are now witnessing the reenactment of a military regime in 1980s, which caused numerous deaths of the citizens in the name of “restoration of rule of law and order” and “exposition of instigating force of left wing division,” in the city of Seoul in the year 2008. YMCA cannot withhold a warning to the President Lee the facts that the government against the citizens cannot be a democratic government for the people, and he has no choice but face much greater, full-scale resistance from the citizens. Lee, at least from now on, must cease to suppress the citizens, and accommodate the citizens' reasonable demands with the sincere apology.

YMCA consistently supports the citizens' reasonable and peaceful demands
YMCA opposes importation of US beef with possible risk of mad cow disease, as well as supports and agrees on the opinion of the peaceful citizens that demand general re-negotiation for healthy foods and security of sovereignty. Moreover, we send support and praise to the peaceful citizens' efforts to protect a very genuine truth that the citizens are heads of nation-state and all powers come from the citizens.

YMCA will lie down on the street again as citizens of God's reign of life, peace and justice
YMCA will reorganize the peace action group named “YMCA Candlelight Peace Action –Let's Lie down on the Street-,” and will lie down again at the frontline of police force to guarantee the peoples' security and their demands from the brutal violent power of the President Lee's police. We believe this is the imperative commandment of our God who descended in this world as King of Peace, and this is the inescapable mission of YMCA as contemporary Christian seeking the God's Reign in fullness of life, peace and justice.

We appeal to all citizens; Let us lie down together as symbol of peace action of non-violence and non-resistance
Now the President Lee has to stop the violent oppression against the citizens' reasonable and peaceful gatherings. The suppression and the violent oppression against the citizens will cause the peaceful candles into angry candles and torches in the wilderness. YMCA also appeals to the peaceful candles. Let us hold hands and develop non-violent and non-resistant peace campaign for accomplishment of the citizens' reasonable opinions and demands. Let us lie down on the streets to transform our hearts of wrath and outrage into peace, and to convert our mind of love for our own children into love for the whole world. Even though our nonviolent and nonresistant peace action looks helpless and powerless, YMCA has no doubt that this is the way for peace and life where every creation and people will live and share together. Also, we assure that this is the only way for us to identify ourselves as Christians living in this contemporary world. If the President Myoung-Bak Lee do not stop his violence against citizens and his negligence to listen to the public opinions, YMCA will lie on the frontline again for “YMCA Candlelight Peace Action” of the citizens' rallies of candlelight vigil on July 5 th in downtown Seoul .

Our Demands;

• Lee's government should immediately stop the violent oppression against the citizens
• Lee's government should release the citizens who were wrongfully detained and hauled
• Lee's government should guarantee the citizens' peaceful rallies of candlelight vigil
• Lee's government should dismiss the Commissioner General of National Police Agency and Minister of Judicial Affairs with the charge of violent oppression
• President Lee should apologize to the citizens
• YMCA appeal to the citizens to join our 2 nd Peace Action –Let's Lie Down- on July 5 th .

June 30 th , 2008

National Council of YMCAs of Korea

63 Local YMCAs in Korea