S. Korea Demands Heavy Penalties for Rev. Han Sang Ryol
Pyongyang, December 25 (KCNA) -- The puppet Seoul District Prosecutor's Office demanded ten years in prison and ten years of suspension of qualifications for pro-reunification champion Rev. Hang Sang Ryol on charges of the violation of the notorious "National Security Law", according to MBC of south Korea.
The prosecutors charged that he visited the north without a prior consent of the "government" and praised the north while staying there and led the action for pulling down the statue of MacArthur in September 2005, sympathizing with the assertion of the north.
In this connection various organizations of south Korea accused the prosecutors of demanding ten years in prison for Rev. Han Sang Ryol, a penalty unprecedented in the past decade.
The prosecutors brought against him charges of what they called "reception of instructions," taking issue even with his anti-U.S. and anti-war activities in the past, they noted, adding this is arousing great concern
CPRK Accuses S. Korea of Demanding Penalties for Rev. Han Sang Ryol
Pyongyang, December 25 (KCNA) -- The Secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea in information bulletin No. 970 Saturday blasted the south Korean regime for demanding heavy penalties for Rev. Han Sang Ryol who visited the DPRK on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the June 15 joint declaration
The prosecution demanded 10 years in prison and 10 years of suspension of qualifications for him on charges of violation of the "National Security Law," the bulletin said, and continued:
This action is a wanton violation of justice and conscience and an intolerable challenge to the desire of the Koreans for reunification.
Han's visit to the DPRK was a patriotic deed prompted by his ardent desire and strong will for national harmony and reunification.
During his stay in the DPRK he met northerners of various circles, sharing compatriotic feelings. He ardently called on the Koreans to pool efforts to reject outside domination and moves for aggression and anti-reunification forces' sycophancy and treachery and confrontation with fellow countrymen. He also urged them to defend peace and achieve independent reunification under the banner of the north-south joint declaration.
This being a hard reality, the south Korean regime arrested him soon after he crossed Panmunjom on the charge that he visited the DPRK without its consent to conduct "illegal" and "enemy-benefiting" activities. It has put him to unbearable persecution for a long period.
The south Korean regime's recent action disclosed its intention to opt for confrontation with the DPRK and war contrary to the desire of all the Koreans and the world public to see the north-south relations improved.
It should stand trial for its acts of division, confrontation and war.
The bulletin called upon the south Koreans and all other Koreans to strongly denounce the puppet forces for their suppression of pro-reunification forces, escalation of the confrontation with the DPRK and moves to launch a war.
It demanded the forces stop at once their actions to punish Rev. Han on groundless charges
---------------------------------------------------
SEOUL'S SLUM DWELLINGS
http://www.demotix.com/news/512876/seoul-forgotten-shantytowns
http://seoulsouthkorea.jimdo.com/slums-shantytowns/
Despite the efforts of the conservative Government of South Korea to show off the City of Seoul during the G20 summit as a shiny and prosperous capital there are still plenty of shantytown areas in and around Seoul. Many of the people living there can’t afford the immense costs for renting a room in the more modern tower blocks.
Many shantytowns got evicted in the last years and the people where forced out of their living places. 2009 six squatters died in an fire when special forces stormed their squatted building.
One of the biggest slums is found next to the business district of Gangnam-gu and has around 1.300 inhabitants, no real water connection, no post boxes and the energy is tapped illegal.
Actual statistics show that the urban poverty in Seoul is still high – 14% of the urban population (1.5 Million people or 500.000 households) are living beneath the poverty line. There are around 60 squatter communities with minimum 10.000 people living in Seoul.
The ACHR (Asian Coalition for Housing Rights) writes about the Public housing project from the South Korean Government: “In the past 20 years, poor communities have campaigned for access to subsidized public housing in these redevelopment areas, and some of them have got it. But this public housing is managed entirely by the government, which has the right to determine who will and won’’t get it. And people who used to stay together in lively and interlinked communities find themselves flung widely apart, living in isolation behind locked doors in their box-like units, in different high-rises and on different floors. Their connections with each other are lost, there is no more community. They have to pay a high rent also, and if they can’’t pay, they’’re kicked out.”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday 27 December 2010
Tuesday 21 December 2010
INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS' DAY- STOP THE CRACKDOWN!
The organizers and participants of yesterday's migrant workers rally (to mark the "Int'l Migrants Day") in Seoul adopted the following "2010 Declaration of the Human Rights of Migrants":
Towards a New World without Discrimination and Exploitation!
http://blog.jinbo.net/CINA/?m=2006-02
① In this country we have been given the name 'migrant'. This word has many meanings, which we did not choose ourselves. In addition to signifying someone who lived in another place and then migrated to South Korea, 'migrant' refers to someone who is the object of repression and exploitation in the workplace and discrimination and rejection in everyday life. Even worse, 'migrant' connotes a latent criminal and the target of policing, control and expulsion in the eyes of the South Korean government. In the past, we fought against these chains that bind us with our whole bodies and spirits. The more we looked for the key to unlock the lock on the chains, however, the deeper the key ring grasped in the hand of our oppressor became hidden in a maze.
20 years laced with discrimination and exploitation have now passed. After all of our resistance we have realized something. That only we, and no one else, can achieve our own freedom. That the key that can unlock the chains that bind us is not in the oppressors hand but in ours. That we can rewrite the meaning that Korean society has given to the name 'migrant'. This means that we can rewrite 'migrant' as beautiful.
② We firmly reject the idea that we must endure repression and exploitation. We reject the Employment Permit System (EPS), which gives power to the government and employers to grant us jobs but refuses us the rights to association, bargaining and collective action that in fact belong to all workers. As members of the Korean working class who know the value of our sweat and our labor, we declare our right to live as workers who freely choose their jobs. Short-term rotation policies, like the EPS, fail to take into account that migrants are people and are the origins of discrimination and human rights abuses. These policies treat migrants as tools of profit but denied us the right to live as human beings. The EPS is a barometer that reflects the perspective and atmosphere of South Korean society. We are already living in this land. The EPS, which denies this fact while also denying justice and the needs of Korean society must be abolished immediately.
③ We refuse to be the targets of policing and expulsion. We are not latent criminals. We are merely people seeking happiness for ourselves and our families. We have no intentions to cause harm to anyone. All human beings have the right to physical freedom and the right to defend that freedom. These rights must be protected. As such, we firmly reject the government's labeling of as us latent criminals. The government uses this label to justify its brutal crackdown against us, which it claims is necessary to maintain the safety of South Korean society and even to protect our human rights. We recognize, however, that these claims are simply a means to hide the fact that the government's actions are illegal and violate human rights. The indiscriminate, inhumane and life-threatening raids and deportations must stop immediately.
④ In the name of 3 million overseas Koreans we firmly reject discrimination against overseas Koreans from less-developed countries, which has become an absolute yardstick by which to measure South Korean. Some 350 thousand overseas Koreans from China and the countries of the former Soviet Union are living as migrants in South Korean society. Despite the fact that are all overseas Koreans, in South Korean society, the Act on Overseas Koreans applies fully to overseas Koreans from rich countries and only partially to those who come from poorer countries. The South Korean governments attempt to broaden the field of discrimination, which arises from its fixation on economic capacity, cannot but be an indicator of the state of society. As overseas Koreans and migrants we reject all efforts to keep us in field of discrimination and firmly demand our rights.
⑤ We demand our rights as workers and has women who have come to this country to live as members of families. We should not be denied rights as women and as workers because we are migrants. Women migrant workers must be allowed to reside safely in this country. Our rights must not be violated due to abuse of authority at the workplace or any other criminal designs. Protection of and redress for the violation of women migrant workers rights must be swift. The essential dignity of women who have migrated through marriage must be respected. We reject all attitudes that reduce women to a form of exchange value and reaffirm the fact that proper family life begins with respect for one's partner's culture. Marriage migrants have the right to respect and happiness based on true multiculturalism, not a false multiculturalism that means unilateral imposition of Korean culture.
We assert that all children in the country have equal rights. The government's attitude of singling out the children of multicultural families and refusing to recognize the children born of undocumented migrants equals discrimination against children. All children have the right to registration based on birth and to attain nationality, and these rights must not be violated simply because of the residence status of their parents. In fact, children should be given more protection and attention in the event that they lack a nationality. In particular, no child should be denied heath and education rights on the basis that he/she does not have a nationality. We also affirm that all children have the right to be raised in a healthy manner by their families, in particular their parents. All provisions that discrimination against children are illegal and must be abolished.
⑥ We demand that the government give immediate attention and protection to refugees and asylum seekers. We are concerned that applications for asylum are proceeded in a manner aimed at administrative ease rather than being based on rationality and fairness. The current system of reviewing applications is carried out in a manner overly dependent on international politics and the easy management of visas without consideration for human beings' basic right to life. We demand that the system be revised and ask that more visas be granted for humanitarian reasons. We wish to see South Korea become a place where individuals who flee persecution and discrimination can live with their rights respected. We also demand that the South Korean government ratify the International Convention on Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. We stress that equal protection of the rights of migrants and their families through the ratification of the Convention, which outlines concrete practices, is necessary if the advent of the age of muliculturalism is to be more than simply a noisy event.
We believe that our declaration is not only meaningful for us migrant workers, but will also help to make South Korean society more just, more fee and more beautiful. Our declaration is a dignified call to break the chains of discrimination and exploitation and build a new world through social solidarity.
● Stop discrimination against migrant workers and abolish restrictions on workplace transfers!
● Stop the crackdown and deportations and legalize all undocumented migrant workers
● Stop criminalization of migrant workers!
● Protect the rights of migrant women!
● Protect migrant children's health and education rights!
● Increase recognition of refugee status and protect refugees' rights!
● Fully implement the Act on Overseas Koreans and protect overseas Koreans' right to travel freely!
● Ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Migrants!
Towards a New World without Discrimination and Exploitation!
http://blog.jinbo.net/CINA/?m=2006-02
① In this country we have been given the name 'migrant'. This word has many meanings, which we did not choose ourselves. In addition to signifying someone who lived in another place and then migrated to South Korea, 'migrant' refers to someone who is the object of repression and exploitation in the workplace and discrimination and rejection in everyday life. Even worse, 'migrant' connotes a latent criminal and the target of policing, control and expulsion in the eyes of the South Korean government. In the past, we fought against these chains that bind us with our whole bodies and spirits. The more we looked for the key to unlock the lock on the chains, however, the deeper the key ring grasped in the hand of our oppressor became hidden in a maze.
20 years laced with discrimination and exploitation have now passed. After all of our resistance we have realized something. That only we, and no one else, can achieve our own freedom. That the key that can unlock the chains that bind us is not in the oppressors hand but in ours. That we can rewrite the meaning that Korean society has given to the name 'migrant'. This means that we can rewrite 'migrant' as beautiful.
② We firmly reject the idea that we must endure repression and exploitation. We reject the Employment Permit System (EPS), which gives power to the government and employers to grant us jobs but refuses us the rights to association, bargaining and collective action that in fact belong to all workers. As members of the Korean working class who know the value of our sweat and our labor, we declare our right to live as workers who freely choose their jobs. Short-term rotation policies, like the EPS, fail to take into account that migrants are people and are the origins of discrimination and human rights abuses. These policies treat migrants as tools of profit but denied us the right to live as human beings. The EPS is a barometer that reflects the perspective and atmosphere of South Korean society. We are already living in this land. The EPS, which denies this fact while also denying justice and the needs of Korean society must be abolished immediately.
③ We refuse to be the targets of policing and expulsion. We are not latent criminals. We are merely people seeking happiness for ourselves and our families. We have no intentions to cause harm to anyone. All human beings have the right to physical freedom and the right to defend that freedom. These rights must be protected. As such, we firmly reject the government's labeling of as us latent criminals. The government uses this label to justify its brutal crackdown against us, which it claims is necessary to maintain the safety of South Korean society and even to protect our human rights. We recognize, however, that these claims are simply a means to hide the fact that the government's actions are illegal and violate human rights. The indiscriminate, inhumane and life-threatening raids and deportations must stop immediately.
④ In the name of 3 million overseas Koreans we firmly reject discrimination against overseas Koreans from less-developed countries, which has become an absolute yardstick by which to measure South Korean. Some 350 thousand overseas Koreans from China and the countries of the former Soviet Union are living as migrants in South Korean society. Despite the fact that are all overseas Koreans, in South Korean society, the Act on Overseas Koreans applies fully to overseas Koreans from rich countries and only partially to those who come from poorer countries. The South Korean governments attempt to broaden the field of discrimination, which arises from its fixation on economic capacity, cannot but be an indicator of the state of society. As overseas Koreans and migrants we reject all efforts to keep us in field of discrimination and firmly demand our rights.
⑤ We demand our rights as workers and has women who have come to this country to live as members of families. We should not be denied rights as women and as workers because we are migrants. Women migrant workers must be allowed to reside safely in this country. Our rights must not be violated due to abuse of authority at the workplace or any other criminal designs. Protection of and redress for the violation of women migrant workers rights must be swift. The essential dignity of women who have migrated through marriage must be respected. We reject all attitudes that reduce women to a form of exchange value and reaffirm the fact that proper family life begins with respect for one's partner's culture. Marriage migrants have the right to respect and happiness based on true multiculturalism, not a false multiculturalism that means unilateral imposition of Korean culture.
We assert that all children in the country have equal rights. The government's attitude of singling out the children of multicultural families and refusing to recognize the children born of undocumented migrants equals discrimination against children. All children have the right to registration based on birth and to attain nationality, and these rights must not be violated simply because of the residence status of their parents. In fact, children should be given more protection and attention in the event that they lack a nationality. In particular, no child should be denied heath and education rights on the basis that he/she does not have a nationality. We also affirm that all children have the right to be raised in a healthy manner by their families, in particular their parents. All provisions that discrimination against children are illegal and must be abolished.
⑥ We demand that the government give immediate attention and protection to refugees and asylum seekers. We are concerned that applications for asylum are proceeded in a manner aimed at administrative ease rather than being based on rationality and fairness. The current system of reviewing applications is carried out in a manner overly dependent on international politics and the easy management of visas without consideration for human beings' basic right to life. We demand that the system be revised and ask that more visas be granted for humanitarian reasons. We wish to see South Korea become a place where individuals who flee persecution and discrimination can live with their rights respected. We also demand that the South Korean government ratify the International Convention on Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. We stress that equal protection of the rights of migrants and their families through the ratification of the Convention, which outlines concrete practices, is necessary if the advent of the age of muliculturalism is to be more than simply a noisy event.
We believe that our declaration is not only meaningful for us migrant workers, but will also help to make South Korean society more just, more fee and more beautiful. Our declaration is a dignified call to break the chains of discrimination and exploitation and build a new world through social solidarity.
● Stop discrimination against migrant workers and abolish restrictions on workplace transfers!
● Stop the crackdown and deportations and legalize all undocumented migrant workers
● Stop criminalization of migrant workers!
● Protect the rights of migrant women!
● Protect migrant children's health and education rights!
● Increase recognition of refugee status and protect refugees' rights!
● Fully implement the Act on Overseas Koreans and protect overseas Koreans' right to travel freely!
● Ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Migrants!
Wednesday 15 December 2010
Deadly clash at S.Korean-owned factory
http://blog.jinbo.net/CINA/?m=2006-02
South Korean-owned garment factory workers demanding the implementation of a new minimum wage clashed with police at an industrial zone in Chittagong, southeastern Bangladesh, on Sunday, leaving up to four people dead and some 150 hurt, the Associated Press reported.
Police fired live bullets and tear gas shells at the protestors after thousands of workers attacked factories and smashed vehicles at the Chittagong Export Processing Zone that houses about 70 foreign companies that mainly manufacture garments, shoes and bicycles, and employ about 150,000 workers.
Sunday‘s clashes came out as a South Korean company YoungOne shut down all 17 of its factories in the country late Saturday after workers attacked the facilities. YoungOne employees have argued that the government’s hike in wages that was supposed to come last month has not been implemented.
YoungOne is the largest garment maker in Bangladesh and a leading outdoor garment and equipment maker in Korea.
Related articles (in the bourgeois media):
☞ CEPZ erupts in violence, 4 workers killed (The Daily Star, 12.12)
☞ Six Korean firms hit by Bangladesh protests (K. Herald, 12.13)
Saturday 11 December 2010
Actions against Conclusion of FTA Declared in S. Korea
The south Korean Headquarters of the All-People Movement for Checking the Conclusion of the south Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement held a press conference in Seoul on December 6 declaring actions against the puppet group's conclusion of the south Korea-U.S. FTA.
Speakers there accused the authorities of clinching the additional negotiations with the U.S. for the conclusion of FTA, ignoring the desire of the people.
Charging that FTA would bring unilateral benefits to the U.S. only, they questioned the authorities why did they need to have such negotiations for drain on resources.
They accused the "government" of concealing particularly the fact that it had even the negotiations on the import of U.S. beef infected with mad cow disease.
Terming the recent negotiations a fraudulent farce jointly orchestrated by Lee Myung Bak and the U.S. chief executive, they declared they would stage widespread actions against the conclusion of FTA in solidarity with the people from all walks of life.
Speakers there accused the authorities of clinching the additional negotiations with the U.S. for the conclusion of FTA, ignoring the desire of the people.
Charging that FTA would bring unilateral benefits to the U.S. only, they questioned the authorities why did they need to have such negotiations for drain on resources.
They accused the "government" of concealing particularly the fact that it had even the negotiations on the import of U.S. beef infected with mad cow disease.
Terming the recent negotiations a fraudulent farce jointly orchestrated by Lee Myung Bak and the U.S. chief executive, they declared they would stage widespread actions against the conclusion of FTA in solidarity with the people from all walks of life.
Hyundai Irregular Workers' Factory Occupation Ends after 25 Days
(by Wol-san Liem/Research Institute for Alternative Workers Movements, 12.10)
Yesterday (December 9), members of the Hyundai Motors Irregular Workers Chapter of the Korean Metal Workers Union (KMWU) left factory 1 of the Hyundai Plant in Ulsan. Their departure marked the end of a 25-day long occupation, which they had endured without adequate food, water or bedding.
Today, representatives from the Hyundai Motors Irregular Workers Chapter, the Hyundai Motors Local Branch (regular workers), and the KMWU sat down with representatives from Hyundai Motors and its in-house subcontractors. In accordance with an agreement reached between the President of the Irregular Workers Chapter, Lee Sang-su, President of the Local Branch, Lee Gyeong-hun and President of the KMWU, they presented the following 4 demands: 1) Cancellation of damage suits and charges against workers who participated in the occupation, and payment of medical bills; 2) guarantee of reinstatement for those who participated in the occupation, 3) protection for strike leaders, and 4) a plan for negotiations concerning the regularization of illegal dispatch workers.
While negotiations have begun, it will be an uphill battle to get demands met, and take even more determination before the ultimate goal of regularization for illegal dispatch workers is achieved. Past experience including a similar struggle in 2005, has shown that without the pressure of a factory occupation it is not likely that Hyundai Motors will yield much ground. For this reason many of the striking workers had not wanted to leave factory 1 until after their demands were met in full, and originally pledge to continue the occupation until Hyundai agreed to employ them directly as regular workers.
In reality, however, the striking irregular workers have faced increasingly difficult conditions in the last several days. In addition to repression at the hands of Hyundai Motors, they have been put under growing pressure by the leadership of the Hyundai Local Branch to bring their struggle to a speedy conclusion. While the KMWU Delegates Assembly voted in favor of a general strike in support of the irregular workers struggle on December 22, it had not set a firm date. Meanwhile, President Lee Gyeong-hun of the Hyundai Motors Local Branch determined to put the general strike to a second vote at a Branch general assembly, despite the fact that the KMWU Constitution gives the delegates assembly the right to call for a general strike. When the Hyundai Motors Local Branch leadership could have been educating its members on the importance of regular-irregular workers solidarity and preparing for the general strike, it was instead suggesting to its members that it was time for struggle to be over.
With knowledge of the negative result of the Branch general assembly, and the reality that the second vote signified the cancellation of general strike plans and the loss of support from the Branch, the irregular workers set to heated debate within the factory about whether to go one with their occupation or agree to leave and begin negotiations with a set of less than satisfactory demands. In the end, they chose to accept the demands listed above as a basis for negotiation and entrusted the decision to continue or end the occupation to the Chapter leadership. After meeting with the KMWU and Branch presidents, Lee Sang-su declared an end to the occupation.
Sadly, the conclusion of the occupation demonstrates clearly the limits of the solidarity between regular and irregular workers developed in the beginning of the strike and, even more so, the lack of will on the part of the Hyundai Motors Branch’s leadership to support a strike that it should have recognized as the struggle of all Hyundai workers.
Nonetheless, there have been important victories through this struggle. The consciousness and daring of a few irregular workers quickly spread throughout the Irregular Workers Chapter and from Ulsan to Asan to Jeonju. The hundreds who participated in the strike have been transformed through the experience, coming to recognizing their common cause and developing the power and courage to demand their right to be treated equally. They constructed and made use of democratic decision-making structures even in the midst of the cruel conditions of their factory occupation, and formed a still growing sense of class-consciousness. Despite the fact that they will return to work on December 13, Hyundai irregular workers have vowed to continue organizing among their colleagues and preparing for the next phase of the struggle for regularization. As one reporter commented, the end of the factory occupation at the Ulsan Plan represents, "a victory for the Hyundai irregular workers themselves, but a loss for the labor movement as a whole."
It is the power of class-consciousness and unity that makes struggle possible. The struggle, therefore, will surely go on.
http://blog.jinbo.net/CINA/?m=2006-02
Yesterday (December 9), members of the Hyundai Motors Irregular Workers Chapter of the Korean Metal Workers Union (KMWU) left factory 1 of the Hyundai Plant in Ulsan. Their departure marked the end of a 25-day long occupation, which they had endured without adequate food, water or bedding.
Today, representatives from the Hyundai Motors Irregular Workers Chapter, the Hyundai Motors Local Branch (regular workers), and the KMWU sat down with representatives from Hyundai Motors and its in-house subcontractors. In accordance with an agreement reached between the President of the Irregular Workers Chapter, Lee Sang-su, President of the Local Branch, Lee Gyeong-hun and President of the KMWU, they presented the following 4 demands: 1) Cancellation of damage suits and charges against workers who participated in the occupation, and payment of medical bills; 2) guarantee of reinstatement for those who participated in the occupation, 3) protection for strike leaders, and 4) a plan for negotiations concerning the regularization of illegal dispatch workers.
While negotiations have begun, it will be an uphill battle to get demands met, and take even more determination before the ultimate goal of regularization for illegal dispatch workers is achieved. Past experience including a similar struggle in 2005, has shown that without the pressure of a factory occupation it is not likely that Hyundai Motors will yield much ground. For this reason many of the striking workers had not wanted to leave factory 1 until after their demands were met in full, and originally pledge to continue the occupation until Hyundai agreed to employ them directly as regular workers.
In reality, however, the striking irregular workers have faced increasingly difficult conditions in the last several days. In addition to repression at the hands of Hyundai Motors, they have been put under growing pressure by the leadership of the Hyundai Local Branch to bring their struggle to a speedy conclusion. While the KMWU Delegates Assembly voted in favor of a general strike in support of the irregular workers struggle on December 22, it had not set a firm date. Meanwhile, President Lee Gyeong-hun of the Hyundai Motors Local Branch determined to put the general strike to a second vote at a Branch general assembly, despite the fact that the KMWU Constitution gives the delegates assembly the right to call for a general strike. When the Hyundai Motors Local Branch leadership could have been educating its members on the importance of regular-irregular workers solidarity and preparing for the general strike, it was instead suggesting to its members that it was time for struggle to be over.
With knowledge of the negative result of the Branch general assembly, and the reality that the second vote signified the cancellation of general strike plans and the loss of support from the Branch, the irregular workers set to heated debate within the factory about whether to go one with their occupation or agree to leave and begin negotiations with a set of less than satisfactory demands. In the end, they chose to accept the demands listed above as a basis for negotiation and entrusted the decision to continue or end the occupation to the Chapter leadership. After meeting with the KMWU and Branch presidents, Lee Sang-su declared an end to the occupation.
Sadly, the conclusion of the occupation demonstrates clearly the limits of the solidarity between regular and irregular workers developed in the beginning of the strike and, even more so, the lack of will on the part of the Hyundai Motors Branch’s leadership to support a strike that it should have recognized as the struggle of all Hyundai workers.
Nonetheless, there have been important victories through this struggle. The consciousness and daring of a few irregular workers quickly spread throughout the Irregular Workers Chapter and from Ulsan to Asan to Jeonju. The hundreds who participated in the strike have been transformed through the experience, coming to recognizing their common cause and developing the power and courage to demand their right to be treated equally. They constructed and made use of democratic decision-making structures even in the midst of the cruel conditions of their factory occupation, and formed a still growing sense of class-consciousness. Despite the fact that they will return to work on December 13, Hyundai irregular workers have vowed to continue organizing among their colleagues and preparing for the next phase of the struggle for regularization. As one reporter commented, the end of the factory occupation at the Ulsan Plan represents, "a victory for the Hyundai irregular workers themselves, but a loss for the labor movement as a whole."
It is the power of class-consciousness and unity that makes struggle possible. The struggle, therefore, will surely go on.
http://blog.jinbo.net/CINA/?m=2006-02
Tuesday 7 December 2010
South Korea, Human Rights Desert
South Korea has turned into a human rights desert and a place devoid of democracy where fascist dictatorship reigns.
Democracy and fascism, human rights and dictatorship are incompatible with each other. The south Korean people have been long struggling to restore social democracy and true human rights.
However, their struggle fizzled out after the conservative group came to power.
Talking about the “lost decade”, the present south Korean authorities crushed the bud of democracy that had sprouted in the period of the preceding “government”, further increased the mechanisms for repressing human rights including the intelligence agency and security organs and revived all sorts of fascist evil laws and systems as a whole.
In the “government”, organs, enterprises and schools at all levels conscientious democratic figures were branded as the “leftists” and dismissed. Organizations from all strata of society and politicians who participated in the candlelight demonstration against the pro-US sycophantic acts of the conservative “government” suffered political retaliation and the professors who published declarations of the situation were dismissed or taken into custody.
Last year the two former presidents, who spoke for the democratic reformist force, died due to the political plot and retaliation of the fascist authorities. The tragedy unprecedented in history shows the poor human rights situation of south Korea.
The number of political parties and organizations that were labeled as “illegal organizations” by the conservative authorities amounted to over 1 840 in one year and a half.
Political inspection and surveillance are openly conducted and religious organizations are under repression.
Police rummaged a car of the leader of a Buddhist organization in broad daylight and Buddhist and Catholic priests suffered massive violence.
Last summer Rev. Han Sang Ryol was repressed on a charge of having visited the DPRK.
What is more astonishing is that the south Korean authorities attempt to place the press under their control.
They replaced officials at the important posts of the press organs and revised various laws on the press for the worse and trade unions, journalists and men of the press who were opposed to this suffered repression.
Freedom of holding a rally or demonstration and forming an association has been already banned. Due to the atrocities of policemen equipped with electric guns and water cannons the demonstrators became blinded and deafened and the heads of schoolboys were broken. The tear-gas liquid was thrown even on babies in perambulators.
Torture, harsh atrocities and unethical insults go unchecked.
A university professor in south Korea deplored, “In one year and a half after the advent of the present government the value of human existence was stifled and the fascist era arrived in the south Korean society”. This tells that basic democratic right and freedom and human rights vanished in south Korea.
The crime against human rights committed by the conservative authorities that have turned south Korea into a human rights desert can never be tolerated and will get the stern punishment of the nation.
Article: Choe Kwang
-------------------------------------------
Member of S. Headquarters of Pomminryon Arrested
The south Korean puppet police on Dec. 1 arrested the chief editor of the organ of the South Headquarters of the Pan-national Alliance for Korea′s Reunification (Pomminryon).
The fascists committed such action after issuing summons to him to appear at the police station on charges of the violation of the "Law on Assembly and Demonstration" several times for the mere reason that he attended a press conference denouncing the puppet police for forcibly searching the office of the South Headquarters of Pomminryon, etc. and walking off its leading members last year.
Not content with prosecuting him on charges of the violation of the notorious "National Security Law," asserting that he praised the north at rallies and conducted propaganda about the validity of the organization, the puppet police threw him into prison, calling into question his participation in the press conference.
Democracy and fascism, human rights and dictatorship are incompatible with each other. The south Korean people have been long struggling to restore social democracy and true human rights.
However, their struggle fizzled out after the conservative group came to power.
Talking about the “lost decade”, the present south Korean authorities crushed the bud of democracy that had sprouted in the period of the preceding “government”, further increased the mechanisms for repressing human rights including the intelligence agency and security organs and revived all sorts of fascist evil laws and systems as a whole.
In the “government”, organs, enterprises and schools at all levels conscientious democratic figures were branded as the “leftists” and dismissed. Organizations from all strata of society and politicians who participated in the candlelight demonstration against the pro-US sycophantic acts of the conservative “government” suffered political retaliation and the professors who published declarations of the situation were dismissed or taken into custody.
Last year the two former presidents, who spoke for the democratic reformist force, died due to the political plot and retaliation of the fascist authorities. The tragedy unprecedented in history shows the poor human rights situation of south Korea.
The number of political parties and organizations that were labeled as “illegal organizations” by the conservative authorities amounted to over 1 840 in one year and a half.
Political inspection and surveillance are openly conducted and religious organizations are under repression.
Police rummaged a car of the leader of a Buddhist organization in broad daylight and Buddhist and Catholic priests suffered massive violence.
Last summer Rev. Han Sang Ryol was repressed on a charge of having visited the DPRK.
What is more astonishing is that the south Korean authorities attempt to place the press under their control.
They replaced officials at the important posts of the press organs and revised various laws on the press for the worse and trade unions, journalists and men of the press who were opposed to this suffered repression.
Freedom of holding a rally or demonstration and forming an association has been already banned. Due to the atrocities of policemen equipped with electric guns and water cannons the demonstrators became blinded and deafened and the heads of schoolboys were broken. The tear-gas liquid was thrown even on babies in perambulators.
Torture, harsh atrocities and unethical insults go unchecked.
A university professor in south Korea deplored, “In one year and a half after the advent of the present government the value of human existence was stifled and the fascist era arrived in the south Korean society”. This tells that basic democratic right and freedom and human rights vanished in south Korea.
The crime against human rights committed by the conservative authorities that have turned south Korea into a human rights desert can never be tolerated and will get the stern punishment of the nation.
Article: Choe Kwang
-------------------------------------------
Member of S. Headquarters of Pomminryon Arrested
The south Korean puppet police on Dec. 1 arrested the chief editor of the organ of the South Headquarters of the Pan-national Alliance for Korea′s Reunification (Pomminryon).
The fascists committed such action after issuing summons to him to appear at the police station on charges of the violation of the "Law on Assembly and Demonstration" several times for the mere reason that he attended a press conference denouncing the puppet police for forcibly searching the office of the South Headquarters of Pomminryon, etc. and walking off its leading members last year.
Not content with prosecuting him on charges of the violation of the notorious "National Security Law," asserting that he praised the north at rallies and conducted propaganda about the validity of the organization, the puppet police threw him into prison, calling into question his participation in the press conference.
Thursday 2 December 2010
17th day of Hyundai Motor's irregular workers (sit-in)strike!
Today is the 17th day of Hyundai Motor's irregular workers (sit-in)strike!
Yesterday's (bourgeois newspaper) Korea Times reported the following about the current situation at the "front line":
Hyundai’s temporary workers cornered
Hyundai Motor’s contract workers have continued striking and protesting for 16 days, but they are gradually losing ground, cornered by the hostile government, the rock-ribbed Hyundai Motor and the permanent employees’ union that still hasn’t decided on its full support for their non-regular counterparts.
The latest blow comes from the local police force, Ulsan Dongbu Police Station, which requested arrest warrants for seven leaders in the contract workers’ strike including Lee Sang-soo, the temporary workers’ union leader.
The police said that Hyundai Motor sued the leaders for obstruction of work, and they have been ordered to appear at the police station. As they haven’t, the police are now seeking to arrest them.
On Tuesday, some 30 members of the contract workers’ union were taken to the police station for trying to occupy the second assembly line of the automaker, which produces the Santa Fe sport utility vehicles.
The government is yet to exercise its power to stop the strike, and there has continued tense confrontation between contract workers and Hyundai Motor’s security guards and managers with both parties claiming they have been physically assaulted.
Bahk Jae-wan, the employment and labor minister, said Monday in a meeting with journalists that the strike by contract workers is illegal and called for them to stop striking as of Monday. The Korean labor law prohibits temporary workers from going on strike to win permanent jobs.
Bahk’s remark was interpreted by the local media as an ultimatum before the government exercises its authority.
Hyundai Motor also hasn’t become any more lenient on the contract workers’ demand. The automaker’s Vice President Kang Ho-don refused Sunday to negotiate directly with non-regular workers, but said the firm will hold talks if non-regular workers stop the strike and occupation of the assembly line. He said that the talks should involve the company, the permanent employees’ union, subcontractors and the labor union of contract workers.
On Kang’s request, the non-regular workers’ union said officially Monday that it would continue occupying the plants and striking until the automaker comes up with a realistic plan to give them permanent jobs.
Contract workers’ occupation of the plant has given them some leverage in voicing their demands because it has completely stopped the production of the newly-unveiled, much anticipated Accent. Hyundai Motor says that it has so far been unable to produce about 18,700 vehicles and therefore lost 208 billion won.
Furthermore, contract workers’ relationship with the permanent employees’ union began showing some strain after the latter’s leader Lee Kyung-hoon was allegedly grabbed by the collar by a former contract worker who remains a member of the non-regular workers’ union.
The permanent employees’ union said Monday in a newsletter it is tragic that Lee was stopped when he tried to enter the sit-in site at the first assembly line to discuss solutions and supply contract workers with food. The newsletter called for contract workers to regain their countenance and for trust to come first.
On the official website of the non-regular workers’ union, several postings claimed that Lee had not been physically threatened and complained that the Lee’s union isn’t supportive enough.
The permanent employees’ union has given moral support and provided food to the isolated contract workers on strike, but hasn’t promised to go on strike along with the umbrella labor union the Korea Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU).
The KMWU declared on Nov. 22 that it would go on a nationwide strike in early December if Hyundai Motor doesn’t start negotiating with non-regular workers by the end of November.
Although the permanent employees’ union belongs to the KMWU, it decided Monday that all members will vote on whether or not they would go on strike.
In such a situation, the strike isn’t expected to end in the near future. Hyundai Motor and the contract workers have completely different views that they are unwilling to adjust...
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2010/11/123_77249.html
CINA
http://blog.jinbo.net/CINA/?m=2006-02
Yesterday's (bourgeois newspaper) Korea Times reported the following about the current situation at the "front line":
Hyundai’s temporary workers cornered
Hyundai Motor’s contract workers have continued striking and protesting for 16 days, but they are gradually losing ground, cornered by the hostile government, the rock-ribbed Hyundai Motor and the permanent employees’ union that still hasn’t decided on its full support for their non-regular counterparts.
The latest blow comes from the local police force, Ulsan Dongbu Police Station, which requested arrest warrants for seven leaders in the contract workers’ strike including Lee Sang-soo, the temporary workers’ union leader.
The police said that Hyundai Motor sued the leaders for obstruction of work, and they have been ordered to appear at the police station. As they haven’t, the police are now seeking to arrest them.
On Tuesday, some 30 members of the contract workers’ union were taken to the police station for trying to occupy the second assembly line of the automaker, which produces the Santa Fe sport utility vehicles.
The government is yet to exercise its power to stop the strike, and there has continued tense confrontation between contract workers and Hyundai Motor’s security guards and managers with both parties claiming they have been physically assaulted.
Bahk Jae-wan, the employment and labor minister, said Monday in a meeting with journalists that the strike by contract workers is illegal and called for them to stop striking as of Monday. The Korean labor law prohibits temporary workers from going on strike to win permanent jobs.
Bahk’s remark was interpreted by the local media as an ultimatum before the government exercises its authority.
Hyundai Motor also hasn’t become any more lenient on the contract workers’ demand. The automaker’s Vice President Kang Ho-don refused Sunday to negotiate directly with non-regular workers, but said the firm will hold talks if non-regular workers stop the strike and occupation of the assembly line. He said that the talks should involve the company, the permanent employees’ union, subcontractors and the labor union of contract workers.
On Kang’s request, the non-regular workers’ union said officially Monday that it would continue occupying the plants and striking until the automaker comes up with a realistic plan to give them permanent jobs.
Contract workers’ occupation of the plant has given them some leverage in voicing their demands because it has completely stopped the production of the newly-unveiled, much anticipated Accent. Hyundai Motor says that it has so far been unable to produce about 18,700 vehicles and therefore lost 208 billion won.
Furthermore, contract workers’ relationship with the permanent employees’ union began showing some strain after the latter’s leader Lee Kyung-hoon was allegedly grabbed by the collar by a former contract worker who remains a member of the non-regular workers’ union.
The permanent employees’ union said Monday in a newsletter it is tragic that Lee was stopped when he tried to enter the sit-in site at the first assembly line to discuss solutions and supply contract workers with food. The newsletter called for contract workers to regain their countenance and for trust to come first.
On the official website of the non-regular workers’ union, several postings claimed that Lee had not been physically threatened and complained that the Lee’s union isn’t supportive enough.
The permanent employees’ union has given moral support and provided food to the isolated contract workers on strike, but hasn’t promised to go on strike along with the umbrella labor union the Korea Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU).
The KMWU declared on Nov. 22 that it would go on a nationwide strike in early December if Hyundai Motor doesn’t start negotiating with non-regular workers by the end of November.
Although the permanent employees’ union belongs to the KMWU, it decided Monday that all members will vote on whether or not they would go on strike.
In such a situation, the strike isn’t expected to end in the near future. Hyundai Motor and the contract workers have completely different views that they are unwilling to adjust...
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2010/11/123_77249.html
CINA
http://blog.jinbo.net/CINA/?m=2006-02
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