The Jeju District Court has recently ruled that conscientious objections to military service due to a religious belief which forbids bearing arms is justifiable.

This is the first ruling in Jeju on conscientious objection since the Supreme Court last year acquitted a man who refused to serve in the military because of his religious beliefs.

Mike Laidman reports.`

Eight Jehovah’s Witnesses who objected mandatory military service because of their religious beliefs were tried and then acquitted in Jeju.

[slug] Jeju court acquits 8 men of Military Service Act violation

Chief judge (노현미) Rho Hyeon-mi of the Jeju District Court chose to accept conscience or religious beliefs as a justifiable reason for violating the Military Service Act in a recent trial. Eight men who were indicted for such a violation were acquitted.

This is the first ruling in Jeju for conscientious objectors since last year when the Supreme Court objected to the decades-old practice of imprisoning conscientious objectors.

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The eight men had received conscription orders from the Military Manpower Administration between 2015 and 2017, but chose to disobey the notice for their religious beliefs.

[slug] District court previously dismissed 3 Jehovah’s Witnesses

The court overturned a ruling made in a previous trial where three of the Jehovah’s Witnesses were sentenced to 18 months in prison.

The court also dismissed the prosecutors’ appeal for the other five.



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It recognized that the eight men constituted conscientious objectors given their deep religious beliefs.

The court added that criminal punishment without offering alternative forms of military service infringes on freedom of conscience.


Jeju District Court

“Refusing to enter the military due to a religious faith which forbids bearing arms is considered a justified reason to refuse duty.”

“Criminally punishing conscientious objectors is excessively limiting individual’s freedom of conscience and the nation should respect minority.”



INTERVIEW
Lee Won-jun / Conscientious objector
I feel that Korean judiciaries are now more open to conscientious objection and recognize that it is not only means to avoid military service
<인터뷰 : 이원준 / 종교적 병역거부자>
"종교적 병역 거부 문제가 더 이상 병역 회피 수단으로 삼는 것이 아니라 한국 사법부의 시선이 국제화에 맞춰서 종교적 병역 거부자들의 입장을 잘 이해해 주는 것 같다는 생각을 개인적으로 했습니다."

Currently, there are a total of 12 people - including the eight - who are, or were, on trial in Jeju.

[Reporter] Mike Laidman
[Camera] Park Byeong-june
[CG] Kim Eun-gyo

In a move that is the first in the country, the Jeju District Public Prosecutor’s Office has gone so far as to submit the game records of accused men as evidence that they violated the act.

Now all eyes are on just what the team of prosecutors will move to do next.

Mike Laidman, KCTV