DP excludes human rights activist from candidacy, citing military service refusal

A satellite party affiliated with the main opposition Democratic Party has excluded a human rights activist specializing in military issues as a candidate for a proportional seat, citing his refusal to comply with military service requirements.

Lim Tae-hoon, the former director of the Center for Military Human Rights Korea, a nongovernment group dealing with military-related issues, was convicted in 2004 for declining to serve in the military based on his religious beliefs.

"I received notification that I was cut off (from nomination) after the party's review of candidate registration documents," Lim said on his Facebook account Wednesday, contending that the party equated conscientious objection with evading military service.

"I raised objections," he added.

In 2018, the Supreme Court recognized religious and conscientious beliefs as valid grounds for refusing mandatory military service. Most conscientious objectors imprisoned for religious reasons were then released and acquitted.

Following the landmark ruling, the government has allowed convicted conscientious objectors to fulfill their service obligations through alternative means.

"South Korea is a country that offers the option of 'alternative service' to conscientious objectors based on their beliefs. The state no longer classifies them as draft dodgers and does not punish them," Lim said.

Meanwhile, former National Intelligence Service chief Park Jie-won emerged victorious in the primaries against Rep. Yoon Jae-kwan and secured the Democratic Party's candidacy in a district encompassing Haenam, Wando and Jindo on the country's southern coast.

Park, a former four-term lawmaker, will compete against Kwan Bong-keun from the ruling People Power Party. (Yonhap)