DP-led coalition excludes candidate for refusing military service

A satellite party coalition led by the liberal Democratic Party (DP) excluded a proportional candidate over his past refusal to comply with the nation’s mandatory military service.

Lim Tae-hoon, former director of the Center of Military Human Rights Korea, speaks in a press conference held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on March 4. [NEWS1]

A satellite party coalition led by the liberal Democratic Party (DP) excluded a proportional candidate over his past refusal to comply with the nation’s mandatory military service.

“I was told by the party that I was removed from the candidate list,” wrote Lim Tae-hoon, the former director of the Center of Military Human Rights Korea, in a Facebook post on Wednesday, adding that he filed a complaint regarding the decision.

The nomination committee of the coalition dismissed Lim’s complaint, saying there was “no reason" to overturn the decision.

Lim was sentenced to 18 months in prison for declining to serve in the military based on personal beliefs in 2004. Military service is mandatory for all men in Korea aged between 19 and 35.

The former candidate was put behind bars for 16 months. He was released when President Roh Moo-hyun granted him a special pardon in celebration of Korea’s Independence Day.

According to Lim, he established the nongovernmental organization Center of Military Human Rights in 2009 to protect the rights of those serving in the military and to change the “non-humanitarian military culture.”

“I announced that I could not serve in the military after seeing the country overlooking the [prevailing] non-humanitarian military culture of violence and assaults,” he wrote, adding that many young men still lose their lives after conscription.

“I feel sorry for the party’s decision that simply regards me as an individual who evaded military service.”

He stressed that the country no longer regards conscientious objectors as those who "evaded" military conscriptions, as they can now replace their mandatory service with an alternative one.

The country began running an alternative military service system in late 2020 for conscientious objectors who are dedicated to serving based on their religious and personal beliefs, allowing young men to replace their 18-month mandatory military service with a three-year alternative service.

On Thursday, Lim's satellite party asked the nomination committee to withdraw its decision to exclude Lim from the candidates' list.

Three of the four proportional candidates of the DP-led satellite party coalition either resigned or were excluded after it announced nominations on Sunday.

The first and second candidates of the satellite party stepped down from their candidacies following criticisms of their anti-U.S. and pro-North Korea stances.

The satellite party said in its press release on Thursday that it has newly nominated Seo Mi-hwa, the former commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, as the first candidate. Seo is the director of the Korea Council of Centers for Independent Living.

Attorney Lee Joo-hee was recommended as the second candidate. Lee is a member of the Seoul Bar Association’s human rights commission.

Both candidates ranked third and fourth in a recent audition, ranking after the two former women candidates.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]