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Last Thursday(4.04) in the early morning: So-called civil servants - i.e. thugs hired by the Seoul Central District(Jung-gu) office - plus more than 200 riot cops attacked...

... dismissed Ssangyong Motor workers nearby Daehanmun(*), the main entrance of Deoksu-gung(palace) in downtown Seoul and destroyed/removed the "Ssangyong Memorial Site", established almost one year ago!

Two days ago(4.05) Kyunghyang Shinmun published the following editorial:

The tent has been removed. A group of laid-off Ssangyong Motor workers had been staying in front of Daehanmun of the Deoksu Palace in downtown Seoul for a long while, continuing a sit-in protest, sleeping in a makeshift tent.

Yesterday, in the early morning, Jung-gu District Office used its manpower to forcibly take down the tent and then quickly built a flower bed on the empty space. This surprise attack for demolition was almost like a military operation.

It is a matter of grave concern since it obviously shows the stance of Park Geun-hye administration with regard to labor issues. The government is playing double: on the surface, it advocates social cohesion; yet it smothers up the desperate demands by the laid-off workers behind its force.

The physical removal, however, cannot hide the essence of this issue. Some of these workers have climbed a lofty electrical supply tower and have now remained there for about 130 days in a sit-in protest, asking for re-employment of fired workers and a parliamentary probe.

The government and the political parties should stop turning away from their voices.
 The demolition is nothing short of oppression by the government. Ssangyong Motors issue is still a work in progress. 2,000 workers are living in pain, suffering from poverty and trauma caused by the whole experience.

Last year, it was a nine-day wonder during the presidential election and that was it: those who climbed the high tower are still there, holding a sit-in protest atop for 130 days. Both the government and the politicians, who are supposed to solve the problem, are practically sitting on their hands.

The only rock left for the workers are the people. There is no cause that can justify an act that cruelly muffles the voice of workers asking for justice. Under these circumstances, it is questionable whether this government is entitled to cry for social cohesion.
 

Hiding Ssangyong Motor situation will not resolve itself. We have continuously stressed that the government, the political parties and the company must join hands to come to a closure. The prerequisite would be the parliamentary probe as promised by the parties.

The ruling Saenuri Party has shifted its position, saying, "A parliamentary probe will be nothing but an obstacle when the National Assembly really needs to be up and running." It has an obligation to cooperate with this investigation to reveal the truth, instead of evading it.

The government also needs to be more proactive to solve the issue for the laid-off workers. There has been a suspicion on a possible "eat-and-run" strategy by Mahindra & Mahindra, the majority shareholder of Ssangyong Motor; it is the government's role to supervise the company so that the suspicion may not resurface.
 

Most importantly, the investment commitment must be fulfilled. Pawan Goenka, president of Mahindra's automotive and farm equipment sectors, once said: "We will invest KRW 1 trillion for the next 3 to 4 years." However, the only actual investment to be made is worth KRW 80 billion to issue new shares, which is due May 22.

Given that the company needs KRW 200 to 300 billion just to produce one new car, the amount is shockingly insufficient. And they are not in a position to change the position and say, "We will earn money for investment." If only to get rid of the suspicion on the "eat-and-run" practice, they must fulfill the investment commitment.

Unless the new investment makes the plant get going, the laid-off workers cannot go back to their job. Among them, 23 lives have already been lost under the pressure of destitution. And the workers must not go back to this tragedy.

http://english.khan.co.kr/khan_art_view.html?artid=201304051735567&code=790101

    BUT THE STRUGGLE GOES ON! Y'day(4.06) afternoon: one of several protest rallies @Daehanmun...
   

* Related articles:
☞ Ssangyong protest site near palace torn down (JoongAng Ilbo, 4.05)
☞ Ssangyong protesters kicked out (Korea Times, 4.04)
☞ We Oppose Tearing Down the Daehanmun Protest Site (Kyunghyang Shinmun, 2012.11.19)


More related articles/reports in Korean you'll find here!!