CINA

본문

Today's (bourgeois)Korea Herald reported the following: A group of conservative, elderly Koreans who are ardent supporters of former President Park Geun-hye attacked a memorial site of a late laid-off worker in central Seoul on Wednesday, calling mourners and other laid-off laborers “commies” and “germs,” among other names. “You are ruining our country, you are ruining our country,” an elderly Korean woman shouted at the mourners, waving a South Korean flag frantically. “This guy did not even die for our country. Why create such a fuss? Leave now! Leave now! Get out of our sight, commies!” said an elderly man wearing a military uniform...

The late worker, Kim Ju-jung, took his own life last month after fighting for some nine years for re-employment at his former employer, Ssangyong Motors. He was one of some 2,600 workers who lost their jobs in 2009, after the automaker instigated massive layoffs in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis.

   Twenty-nine other Ssangyong laid-off workers and their family members have either taken their own lives or died of illnesses. A lot of the late workers were parents of young children.

   Following Kim’s death, his former colleagues set up a public memorial site...

...in front of Deoksugung[palace] in central Seoul earlier this week, to pay tribute to Kim and others who have lost their lives since the massive layoffs in 2009.

   "We have been witnessing such barbarism and madness today," said Yang Kyung-soo, an official from the Minju-nochong[i.e. KCTU], a national trade union in South Korea, on being attacked for mourning the death of Kim.

   "We are only here to say we need to save lives, rather than letting people die. Over the course of nine years, 30 have died. And these deaths could've been avoided. I don't know why we have to endure such indignity just to say this."...

Deoksugung is a place of significance for laid-off Ssangyong workers. The first and temporary memorial site for the late workers was set up here in 2012... 

...after 24 lost their lives due to extreme financial hardships and stress caused by long-term unemployment.

   Following Kim’s death last month, his former colleagues decided to move the memorial site back to Daehanmun, the main gate to Deoksugung in central Seoul, after five years, to raise awareness and protest against the government who they think is partially responsible for the 30 tragic deaths...

Starting Tuesday afternoon/evening, the members of the conservative group both physically and verbally attacked the mourners and former colleagues of late Kim...

Sometimes they would sing the national anthem loudly whenever mourners tried to make a speech in tribute to the late Kim using a microphone...

As of Wednesday morning, one citizen and one labor activist were sent to a hospital after being hit by the conservative group members. A reporter was also physically attacked and his camera damaged. The violence continued through Wednesday afternoon, amid scorching hot weather... (more you can read here)

Related articles:
☞ 쌍용차 분향소 인권침해 심각…보수단체 공격, 부상 속출 (참세상, 7.04)
☞ 보수단체 욕설·폭력에 둘러싸인 대한문 앞 쌍용차 분향소 (민중의소리, 7.04)
☞ "더 이상 죽어서는 안 되기에 이곳으로 왔다" (노동과 세계, 7.04)