IN LONDON the CO Day ceremony was accompanied by steady rain. On the other side of the world, in Seoul, rain also descended on campaigners on CO Day, but not until after they had made their protest.

Demonstrations within100 metre radius of a foreign embassy in Seoul are prohibited. But as, one person is not a ‘demonstration’ campaigners chose a revolving one person demonstration outside the Colombian embassy in support of Colombian COs.

Military service in South Korea - a country still technically at war with North Korea – is mandatory. But people are increasingly questioning the compulsory nature of military service. ‘If I serve in the military, it would violate everything I believe in,’ said Oh Tae-yang.

There are over 1,000 South Koreans in prison because they refused the draft for moral or religious reasons. The current law makes no provision for conscientious objectors, who can face up to three years in prison. However, the law is currently under review by the Constitutional Court.