“Innocent until proven guilty” is a critical tenet that SHOULD underlie all justice systems of the free world. In South Korea, however, the order of justice has been reversed, and in recent years over 99.3% of defendants have been declared guilty. Compare this with the United States, where the overall conviction rate is just 45.7%. If tried, the statistics show that a person’s chances of acquittal are less than 0.5%. Consequently, innocent victims all over Korea are declared guilty in this unjust system. Making sure that only the truly guilty are sentenced, and that the blameless are afforded every right to fight for their innocence, is absolutely essential to the very foundation of justice.

Pastor Jeong Myeong Seok, who is facing this injustice, is a man of faith who has dedicated his life to the service of God and Jesus. He served two tours of duty in the Vietnam War, in the process saving the lives of dozens of soldiers, both on his own side and even on the enemy side. Over the course of 45 years, he has established the Christian Gospel Mission (CGM), an organization dedicated to helping people all over the world love God and their brothers and sisters. When he visited the United States in 1999, he conducted a 21-day fast to help combat gun violence. His desire for world peace, even being willing to sacrifice his own life in the process, is an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of people across the globe. However, he now finds himself on trial, accused of sexual assault - charges based exclusively on allegations without actual evidence. The court proceedings have also been tainted by the influence of sensationalized media coverage. This has led to a clear deviation from the principle of presumption of innocence. The right to a fair trial is enshrined in Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which states that everyone shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law. Yet, this fundamental right seems forgotten in Pastor Jeong's case.

This issue is not just about Pastor Jeong; it's about justice and fairness in our legal system which affects us all. Court injustice can lead to innocent people being unfairly persecuted - a situation that CGM and many others currently find ourselves in as a result of this trial.

We believe in due process and fair trials for everyone. We call upon the Korean judicial system to uphold these principles in Pastor Jeong's case by ensuring that his trial is conducted fairly and without bias or external influence. Please sign this petition if you stand with us for justice, fairness, and truth.

(For more information about Christian Gospel Mission and Pastor Jeong Myeong Seok’s trial: https://jmsprovidence.com)