Military Law Officers Protest Book-Ban Order

By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter

In an unprecedented move Thursday, a group of military law officers filed a petition with the Constitutional Court, demanding the Ministry of National Defense's ban on dozens of what it called ``pro-North Korean books'' be lifted.

Seven officers submitted the petition, arguing the censorship infringes on soldiers' basic rights.

``It is a basic right guaranteed by the Constitution to read books for gaining knowledge and pursuing happiness,'' said Choi Kang-wook, a lawyer representing the petitioners. ``There is no argument for limiting their rights just because they are in the military, or that they must accept unfairness because they are soldiers.''

Their action angered the ministry. ``It's not appropriate as the officers are tasked with enforcing law within the military,'' Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee said during a parliamentary audit of his ministry. ``I will order the Army Chief of Staff to take steps after reviewing whether their act violates work-related discipline.''

In July, the ministry announced 23 books that soldiers should not read.

The ``seditious'' books include ``Bad Samaritans,'' by Chang Ha-joon, a professor at Cambridge University, ``Year 501: The Conquest Continues'' by Noam Chomsky, a U.S. author and linguist and Hyeon Gi-yeong's novel, ``A Spoon on Earth.''

Those books were categorized by the ministry into three categories ― pro-North Korea, anti-government and anti-U.S. or anti-capitalism ― and claimed the books could have a ``bad influence'' on soldiers.

Choi said the censorship means that the ministry was trying to treat soldiers as people who have no personality or ability to make their own judgment.

Ironically, many of the books banned by the ministry have drawn public interest and made the best sellers list at large bookstores in recent months.

kswho@koreatimes.co.kr

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