“Spring Revolution, We Stand in Solidarity with Myanmar People”

Two years of Myanmar's military coup and massacre,

Civil disobedience movement and international solidarity will not stop.

On February 1, 2021, Min Aung Hlaing and Myanmar's military took over Myanmar's house of parliament  with armored vehicles. After that day, the nightmare of the Myanmar people began. The lawmakers who were democratically elected by the people of Myanmar, kicked out and Aung San Suu Kyi and other government officials were imprisoned. People's lives were destroyed, and dissent was ignored or trampled.

The people of Myanmar did not give up and began to act. Public sector workers, including hospitals, railways, ports, and schools, went on civil disobedience movements and strikes, while numerous workers at sewing factories also closed their factories and went out into the city center.

The military responded with violent suppression and mass slaughter. Workers were threatened with dismissal, and they mercilessly pointed guns at people who staged the demonstration and arrested them. As of January 30, 2023, at least 17,525 people were arrested and about 3,000 were killed. 50,000 houses were burned, and more than two million people became refugees fleeing from military attacks. Just a week ago, on January 24, villages in the Karen state were destroyed by military attacks, forcing more than 5,000 residents to leave their hometowns. The junta has blocked the media and is now blocking people from leaving the country. Myanmar's people voice out that the military forces, including Min Aung Hlaing, are nothing but "rebellious forces" against democracy.

Are we free from responsibility in these tragic situations? Korean corporation POSCO International still has not stopped cooperating with Myanmar's military. Last year, POSCO International, combined with POSCO Energy, earned an operating profit of 1 trillion won (about 800 million USD). A significant portion of this was from the Shwe Gas Field project in Myanmar. Moreover, POSCO International conducted a third phase of the Shwe Gas Field development project at the end of last year, located in Myanmar's A-1 offshore mine, which can produce 38 million cubic feet of natural gas a day. POSCO, which continues to benefit Myanmar’s military to secure profits in Myanmar, deserves criticism for destroying democracy and the lives of people of Myanmar.

South Korea does not have a proper legal system to prevent human rights violations caused by corporate activities. POSCO has received the highest grade in ESG indicators despite its accountability for human rights violations and is promoting that it is the frontrunner of ‘just transition’ for it being the winner of Korea Readers’ Choice Awards at Korean Sustainability Conference. An amendment bill to the Foreign Resource Development Act, which strengthens social responsibility for human rights and the environment in the process of promoting overseas resource development projects, has been proposed to the National Assembly, but the bill has been stuck by the competent committee. Furthermore, even the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is opposing the bill, stating that such an amendment will be burdensome to corporate activities. Korean corporations are backing the tragedy of Myanmar and this is one of the significant reasons for our solidarity with Myanmar 

Despite arduous conditions, people of Myanmar’s resistance continues. The international community continues its solidarity with people of Myanmar’s desire for democracy and the civil disobedience movement. Korean civil society, which has been constantly standing in solidarity with and supporting Myanmar's democracy for the past two years, once again resolves its unceasing solidarity and support. Today, restoring democracy in Myanmar is inextricably linked with restoring everyone’s peaceful and democratic daily lives including those who fight against the military junta, dictatorship of capital and climate crisis. As long as there are Myanmar people who do not stop civil disobedience, we will continue to stand in solidarity. We will not stop. Ah-ddin-tava Myanmar!

February 1st  2023

Korean Civil Society in Support of Democracy in Myanmar(Coalition of 106 organizations) 

and 39 organizations, 200 Citizens

(145 Organizations) Korean Civil Society in Support of Democracy in Myanmar(Coalition of 106 organizations) , JEJU DARK TOURS, The May 18 Foundation, Kaesong Center, The bereaved family of Jeong Soon-gyu of Kyungdong Construction, GYEONGBUK BUKBU MIGRANT LABOR CENTER, Gongsamo, National Artists Association Gwangju Branch, Committee to Support Imprisoned Workers, climate performer, NANCEN Refugee Rights Center, Green Party Korea, Solidarity for Another World, Gwangju Alliance Against Opposing the Military Regime and with Supporting Democratization in Myanmar (Myanmar Gwangju Alliance), Myanmar Today, Junta Denouncing Committee(Korea), Korea Christian Solidarity for Democracy in Myanmar, bangguseok.dc, AD KFEM, March to Socialism, March to Socialism, sungkonghoe university human rights committee, Memory and Peacebuilding Archive, Solidarity for Myanmar Democracy Movement in Andong City, South Korea, artivists Hanppyeom, Gwangju Citizens' Meeting Wishing Peace in Ukraine, Ulsan Solidarity For Human Rights, Alliance for migrant workers' equal rights, Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union, Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union, Chonnam National University Yongbong Editorial Board, Myanmar Worker Welfare Center, The Church of Now & Here, Creative 21 Writers Association, Archdiocese of Gwangju justice and peace committee, Socialist Students Alliance, HANGUKYWA- Burmese Information Network in Korea, Hanbit church, GMSR-Korea Global Myanmar Spring Revolution, Amnesty Internatonal Korea

(200 Citizens) Ganies Oktaviana, Kang Ki Cheol, Da Young KANG, Kang Seongrae, Kang seong won , Kang Seulgi, Seungwoo Kang, Kang Yeon Bae, Kang jun yong, Ko Soon Hee, Ko Taeeun, Gu, Bon Bin , Kwon Mi-Jung, Gilbert, KANGHEE KIM, Kinam Kim, Potato, Kim Dong Won, KIM MIN SEOK, Minah Kim, Kim bo hwa, KIM Suyoung, Kim Siwon, Yeji Kim, KIM YongHyeon, kim yong-hoon, Eunji kim, KIM, JEONG-HYEON, Jiyoung Kim, Jihye, Kimtaehun, Yisan, Su Kim, Watchman , KIM HYEMIN, Kim Honggyu, Hiiock Kim, Nadi, youngtree, Naui, Na YoonKyung, Soeun Noh, dokumejea, Dorothy, Lea, Dasol Lyu, Liu, Minnie, NATURE, Ryu Inguen, Meongoo, Myoung Sook, BOHYUN MOON, Yerin moon, moon, changgil , waterdrinker, Minueong Kim Han, Minkyeoung ja, Min seo yeon, seagreen, Myung Nam Park, mikyung, Park, Park Minsoo, Park Sungho, Younghoon park, Jeongsoon, park jun sou, Junyoung Park, PARK HYEMIN, Hyojin Park, Bae Min Jeong, BAE SEONG-MIN, Bae Yeju, Bae, Yonghan, byeon ju hyeon, Poki, s4ranghae, Suh Ae Ran, Rimdoro, SEOYUJIN, SEO CHANG-SIK, Sung boran, SUNG Sangmin, kate, SonDongShiin, Sol, Sol, Solip, SONG YOURIM, Susanna, Shin se hyeon, Shin Jeong Hyeon, Shin Hyejung, Anna, An minyoung, Yang Miryeun, Yang Jungmoon, Sohee Eom, yeonyun, Kuesang Oh, AURORA, Euiseok Oh, Oh Ji Yeon, Seyoung Ok , Woo, Seunghoon Woo, wonill, Yoo Miran, Bomi Yoo, Yoon, Yun Yong Suk, Yoon Eunseong, Eunseok, NGUYEN DINH THINH, mattias, Dongmin LEE, Sang Hyun Lee, Sunmi Lee, Somin Lee, Seulgi Lee, Lee seung eon, Seunghan Rhie, lee eun a, LEE EUNJEONG , Lee Eunji, Jaekak Lee, LEE. Jong-ran, Lee JiWon, LEE Chulseung, Choongyeol Lee, choonghi Lee, Lee hyun seok, Lee Hyeong-ho, Lee Hye jung, Lee ho, HoyoungLee, Labor Liberation, LIM YONG-SEOK, Im ho youn, Chsng byoung ki, jamuu, Kyeongmin, Jeun, jeon gyo tack, JEON SANGKYU, Eunkyung Cheon, Junghwan Jeon, jeon ji-yun, JEONG Dongmin, JUNG SOO GUN, Sea-young, Cheong Eunhee, Forest, JUNG JAE WON , Hayeon Jeong, JEONG Hyewon, Jane, Chokwijae, Kyusuk Cho, Joseokok, Jo Somin, Yeon, Cho Yongsuk, Eunhye Cho, Jo Jihye, CHO hyunchul, Cho Hyeong-woo, Bosco Cho, Chi young hwa, Jeehyebock, Ha, HEELLE LIYANAARACHCHI CHAMIKARA, filmbyu, Kyounghun CHOI, Yoonhee Choi, Tov, Choi, Jong Deok, Hyo-Jae Choi, SUNGHO CHOI, KHIN MAYI HTAR, THAN ZAW LIN, Fado, PAARAM, HA HYUN SU, Han Kiyoung, HAN, JAEKWANG, Hanjaerang, Chaemin Han, Hamba, Heokkebi, Huh Q, hyeisoo, Hong sammy, Hong, April, Hong jeeyeon, hong hui-ja, heeum, jess, Rizqan Kariema MUstafa, Jeongeun