The Council of Seocho-gu, Seoul passed a resolution on December 16, 2004 to demand that the Chinese authority immediately release Falun Gong practitioner, 28-year-old Ms. Ko Sung-nyo (Chinese pinyin: Gao Chengnu) and escort her safely out of China and back to Korea. Ms. Ko Sung-nyo, wife of a Korean citizen, Mr. Kwack Byung-ho, was abducted and imprisoned in Jiamusi Municipal Forced Labour Camp, Heilongjiang Province because of her practise of Falun Gong.

Resolution issued by Council of Seocho-gu, Seoul	Seocho-gu Council members' signatures

On August 24, 2004, after learning that Ms. Ko Sung-nyo was imprisoned, the "Ko Sung-nyo Rescue Committee" was formed in Korea. Since then, councils of a number of cities and counties, including Cheon An, where Mr. Kwack Byung-ho resides, Chungcheongnam-do, A San, Gong Ju, Seosan-si, Ye San, and Hong Seong consecutively passed resolutions demanding the release of Ms. Ko Sung-nyo.

At the same time, since the Nam Yang Ju City Council outside the Chungcheongnam-do first passed the resolution on December 14, 2004, Ha Nam City Council, Kyung San City Council and Seocho-gu Council in Seoul also passed similar resolutions.

Press conference in front of the Chinese Consulate

On December 11, 2004, more than 400 members of the "Ko Sung-nyo Rescue Committee" from across Korea gathered together in front of the Chinese Embassy and Consulate and held a press conference. They also delivered an appeal letter to the Chinese Embassy to demand the immediate release of Ms. Ko Sung-nyo.

A member of the "Ko Sung-nyo Rescue Committee" stated that up to the present, more than 120,000 signatures have been collected on a petition in support of Ko Sung-nyo. The committee will continue to encourage organisations throughout the country to pass resolutions in support of her release. The committee spokesperson said that they are now preparing to appeal to the Korean Parliament to pass the resolution in the near future.