Statement of Solidarity In support of the people's struggle in the Czech Republic

Against the construction of a US missile defense base in the Czech Republic.

Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK)

Date: June 22, 2008

We send you a heartfelt message of solidarity, especially to Jan Tamas and Jan Bednar who initiated the courageous three-week hunger strike to express opposition to the US and the Czech governments' plan to erect a US radar installation on Czech soil.

We also send this solidarity message to all the peace-loving people in the world, who are fasting on June 22, to demonstrate their support of the Czech activists opposing the MD base and "Star Wars".

The United States plans to install the radar base in the Czech Republic and missile interceptors in Poland, on the pretext that it is for defense against potential missile attacks from Iran. But we know very well that the US's true purpose in building these installations is to target Russia, in its desire to maintain and expand its military domination of Europe. The installation of the US missile defense base will accelerate a new arms race in Europe and will destroy the peace in the region.

We strongly oppose the installation of any US missile defense base in Eastern Europe and the continuation of "Star Wars" that is coordinated at the same time with the NATO’s gradual expansion eastward. We heard that last year, many thousands of people in Prague protested against the project of installing US radar on their soil. Again we send the people in the Czech Republic our assurances of solidarity with their struggle and vigorously criticize the Czech government for yielding to the will of the US to build the radar base, despite the tremendous opposition of the majority of Czech citizens.

The United States is also intent on building a theater missile defense system in the Asia-Pacific region, aimed at China and North Korea. Not only Japan, but South Korea as well, is being dragged into the US missile defense network, under the name of ‘Korean-style MD’. Furthermore, the building of the Northeast Asia MD system is a complete violation of the spirit of cooperation embodied in the agreement reached in the six-party talks among the US, China, Russia, Japan, North Korea, and South Korea, which would support the establishment of a peace structure on the Korean peninsula and would secure co-existence, co-prosperity, peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

The activist peace organizations in Korea, including SPARK, will dedicate themselves enthusiastically to the struggle of all the peace-loving people of the world, to resist the MD system, while we seek to thwart the US and ROK governments' plan to build the Northeast Asia missile defense system.

Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea (SPARK)

(Co-Executive Chairmen: Bae, Jong-Ryul, Rev. Hong, Keun-Soo, and Fr. Moon, Kyu Hyun)