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A survey revealed that most Koreans do not sympathize with the court¡¯s decision given on Friday acquitting "conscientious objectors", those who refused to serve their military service.
The Chosun Ilbo and Gallup Korea conducted a phone survey Saturday of 1227 adults nationwide. In regards to the court¡¯s decision acquitting three Jehovah¡¯s Witnesses who refused to serve their military service due to their religious beliefs that they ¡°cannot hold weapons,¡± 75.3 percent objected while 12.9 percent agreed. 11.8 percent didn¡¯t reply or didn¡¯t know. The majority of those who participated in the survey objected, regardless of their sex and age. Even 67.5 percent of men who did not serve their military service objected.
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Jeong (23), a Jehovah¡¯s Witness, and his supporter and radio performer Yang Ji-un leave the court house. Jeong, a ¡°conscientious objector¡± who refused to serve his military duty, was acquitted by the Seoul Southern District Court on Friday./Yonhap
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On the reasons of objection to the court¡¯s decision, 52.8 percent replied that ¡°It violates equality in military obligations¡± and 46.5 percent replied that ¡°It threatens national existence due to the collapse of the military service orders.¡±
In substituting conscientious objectors¡¯ military services with other social services like in Germany and Taiwan, 58.5 percent replied that ¡°The period should be longer than the current military service periods,¡± and a greater number replied, ¡°Social service should be more intense than the army.¡±
Meanwhile, the survey showed a positive evaluation of the Korean army where 79.6 percent replied that the army was a help to the development of the country, and only 14.9 percent answered that ¡°It was no help.¡±
The margin of error of the survey was ¡¾2.8 percent.
(Hong Young-lim, ylhong@chosun.com )
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