WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3970/97 by James NICHOLSON to the Council. Ahn Jae-Ku
Date: 1997-12-15
Institutions: European Parliament, NICHOLSON
Subjects: South Korea, charter on human rights, freedom of association, freedom of expression, imprisonment, prison system, right to justice

16. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187/103

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(6 February 1998)

The scientific committee for food (SCF) was asked to re-examine its earlier (cid:145)opinion on Lindane in baby foods(cid:146)
expressed on 23 September 1994. At its meeting on 10 November 1997, the SCF was informed orally that the
(cid:145)Joint food and agricultural organization/ world health organization (FAO/WHO) meeting on pesticide residues(cid:146)
(JMPR) had re-evaluated lindane at its meeting of 22 September › 1 October 1997 and had substantially lowered
the acceptable daily intake (ADI). The committee arrived at a consensus that its previous opinion could no longer
be assumed to be valid but was unable to draft a new opinion since the underlying data for the reduction of the
ADI  were  not  available.  Meanwhile  the  secretariat  of  the  SCF  has  been  informed  that  the  JMPR  opinion  on
lindane will be published in February or March 1998. The Commission has recently requested the SCF to advise
it whether, in the light of the data presented to the JMPR, the presence of lindane at a level of 0.03 milligram
per kilogram (mg/kg) of baby food poses a risk to public health and on the maximum level of lindane in such
products  that  could  be  considered  to  be  acceptable  from  the  public  health  point  of  view.  The  committee
concluded on 15 January 1998 that (cid:145)a maximum level of lindane of 0.02 mg/kg in foods intended for infants and
young children could be considered to be acceptable from the public health point of view(cid:146). The SCF(cid:146)s opinion of
15 January 1998 is available via Internet.

(98/C 187/155)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3970/97

by James Nicholson (I-EDN) to the Council

(15 December 1997)

Subject: Ahn Jae-Ku

Ahn  Jae-Ku  was  arrested  in  June  1994  and  charged  under  South  Korea(cid:146)s  National  Security  Law.  He  was
sentenced  to  life  imprisonment  in  November  1994.  Human  Rights  groups  claim  that  Ahn  Jae-Ku  has  been
imprisoned for the non-violent exercise of freedom of expression and association and that he is being held in
below standard conditions.

Given that South Korea has ratified several international treaties and conventions guaranteeing human rights,
what is the Council(cid:146)s opinion on the imprisonment of Ahn Jae Ku?

Answer

(17 March 1998)

The Council attaches great importance to the strict adherence to human rights by all countries. Those countries
which have signed international conventions and treaties guaranteeing human rights have publicly committed
themselves to uphold these rights.

The Council is aware that arrests are made under the National Security Law of South Korea. The Council has
repeatedly raised its objections to this law which can be seen as a reflection of the historically tense situation on
the Korean Peninsula. The Council hopes that a solution may be found following the start of the Four-Party talks
in Geneva.

The Council has no specific opinion regarding the imprisonment of Ahn Jae Ku, given that it has not received
information about charges or about the conditions of his imprisonment.