공지사항
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- '노란봉투'캠페인/국제연대..
- no chr.!
26개의 게시물을 찾았습니다.
"Congratulation to comrade Michelle and MTU to be the 1st migrant who become representative council member of KCTU. Long live MTU, long live solidarity. 투쟁."
(source: MTU's freeboard)
But-sad to say-until now there's no official statement, either from MTU or from KCTU!!
Related report:
☞ 민주노총 최초 이주노동자 대의원 된 미셀 위원장 (참세상, 10.6)
“We will use whatever is necessary to prevent any possibilities of protests”
(Yu Jeong-kwon, head of security of the 'Presidential Committee for the G20 Summit', 10.01)
Riot police show how to disperse violent(*) protesters with water cannons yesterday at a police training field in Namtaeryeong, Seoul. The demonstration was a part of ceremony to mark the launching of a new police-security corps that will help ensure safety at the November G-20 Summit in Seoul.
(source: JoongAng Ilbo, 10.05)
* But, as you can see in the picture: unarmed and defenseless!!
Related article:
☞ S.Korean police showcase strength before G20 summit (AFP, 10.04)
And yesterday's Hankyoreh editorial gave us some more details about...
Commissioner Cho’s "sound cannon"
The long-range acoustic device, sound cannon, that police are currently seeking to introduce is a device used overseas against pirates and terrorists, among others. In 2005, one was used to repel pirates approaching a luxury liner off the coast of Somalia with a 150-db compressed sound wave. The reason sound cannons have never required safety testing despite being produced and used in the United States is because they are fundamentally devices to be used against enemies. Now, the police of South Korea have reportedly said they intend to use this device against citizens. It is a notion unimaginable to anyone who does not view protestors as heinous criminals akin to pirates.
It has now come to light that the police themselves determined that there were issues with the safety of these devices and postponed their introduction of them. Sources say that Cho Hyun-oh, commissioner of the Korean National Police Agency, proposed their introduction to the agency in April, when he was head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, but the proposal was rejected because safety checks had not been conducted. Just five months ago, the police said they could not use sound cannons for safety reasons, but they have done a 180-degree turnaround now that there is a new commissioner. It is simply beyond belief.
The dangers noises pose to the human body go beyond the imagination. Those in the military are familiar with the aftereffects of gunshots pounding on the eardrums during shooting drills. In some cases, people are left with hearing loss or tinnitus for the rest of their lives. Sound cannons present an even more serious risk than this. In a city like Seoul, the intensity of the sound may become magnified as the sound waves reflect back off off buildings, and it is apparent that not only protestors but ordinary citizens as well will suffer the damages.
The individual who applied for a Korean patent on this device went so far as to issue a warning.
“If you set the angle of the sound cannon to the front and send out a 150-decibel noise, there may be rupturing of the eardrums.”
Police are now trying to hasten the introduction of this exceedingly dangerous weapon without carrying out proper safety tests. Seeing them unconcerned with the outpouring of concern, one has to ask whether the police have already gone deaf before even using the sound cannon...
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_editorial/442309.html
Yesterday's DailyNK (DPRK-friendly? Not at all!!) published the following (disputable, but not uninteresting) piece:
Searching for a New Left and Cooperation
Hereditary succession through three generations is unprecedented in modern history. Anywhere a country has adopted republicanism over monarchy, regardless of whether it is in capitalist or socialist form, a three-generation hereditary succession is a historical abomination hard even to imagine.
Furthermore, since the French revolution of 1789, a majority of countries have adopted the core values of a republic; government by and for the benefit of the citizenry, with elected representatives replaced on a regular basis under universal suffrage.
This is supposed also to be the case in North Korea. The official title of the nation, “Democratic People's Republic of Korea,” clearly states that sovereignty is with the citizens.
However, ever since Kim Il Sung founded an independent government in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula in 1948, there has not been a single change of power by the citizens in that area.
From immediately after the liberation until the 1970s, Kim Il Sung formally imposed a class dictatorship by a supposedly proletarian party, then, since successfully beginning the hereditary succession to Kim Jong Il, the state has been governed by a totalitarian dictatorship even more degenerate than an absolute monarchy. The basic stance of this dictatorship is that authority in North Korea belongs to Kim Il Sung's family, while the citizens and organs of state exist for their benefit.
During the recent Chosun Workers' Party Delegates Conference, North Korea changed the wording of the preamble to the Party regulations from a "Juche-type revolutionary Marxist-Leninist party founded by comrade Kim Il Sung" to the "Party of Great Supreme Leader Kim Il Sung". They might even be lamenting having not changed it to the “Kim Il Sung Party”.
With this act, the Chosun Workers' Party proclaimed to the world that it is the party of the Kim dynasty, by the Kim dynasty, and for the Kim dynasty.
Now, North Korea has only to squeeze Kim Jong Eun, the third son of Kim Jong Il, into the absolutist role. In order to achieve this, they have given this mere 28-year old man the rank of general in the Chosun People's Army and made him Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Chosun Workers' Party.
Three generations of hereditary succession related in no way to the will of the citizens is being attempted, yet there are no visible signs of chaos. Why would North Koreans not complain about this? Inside sources are even saying that Kim Jong Eun is worse than his father. The answer is that the people are resigned to it, since they understand the tragedy which can befall a whole family with one word of complaint about Kim Jong Eun.
And yet, regardless of this unfolding disaster, “progressive” leftist parties in South Korea are watching on from the sidelines. The comment of one leading party of leftists, the Democratic Labor Party (DLP), was, "It is appropriate to consider it a matter North Korea will decide on, especially for inter-Korean relations.”
The Democratic Party (DP), whose own highly democratic leadership contest came to a conclusion last night, speaks better, but the result is much the same. Take a look at their comment of September 28th, which starts well, "For people with faith in democracy like us, this is a task which is logically hard to understand, no matter how different the system may be."
However, their conclusion is less auspicious, "The shortcut is to promote opening through interchanges and cooperation." They claim that the answer can only be found in the “Sunshine Policy” of the Kim Dae Jung administration, even though 10 years of such sunshine oversaw the three-generation hereditary succession, while repression of the citizenry did not stop.
Civil society is doing no better. South Korea’s largest NGO, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy caused a big stir last June when it sent a letter to the president of the UN Security Council to raise suspicions about the results of the South Korean government's investigation into the Cheonan incident, but is now pretending not to see the hereditary succession. It is the same for Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice and other leftist groups working towards unification.
This stands in contrast to the attitude of conservative groups like Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights or Citizens United for a Better Society, the former stating immediately after the formalization of the third generation hereditary succession at the Delegates’ Conference, "The Kim Jong Il regime should stop this historically extraordinary comedy show now.”.
However, this does not mean that all progressive forces are silent.
One voice of dissent is that of the minority New Progressive Party (NPP), which separated from the Democratic Labor Party after an ideological disagreement in 2008. On September 29th, the Party said of the succession, "This is a considerable distance from the universal sentiment of the citizens or general consciousness of modern democracy."
NPP lawmaker Cho Seung Su, who is running for the office of party representative, also criticized the succession on September 30th, asserting, "The progressive camp needs to presents a clear stance (on the third generation hereditary succession)."
He commented, commendably, "It is important for the progressive camp to decide their attitude towards North Korea. If we do not clarify our position, we will not be acknowledged as a normal organization."
However, the general perspective of the progressive leftist camp is to consider the issue a North Korean domestic matter which South Korea should not get involved in. They mean that we should not aggravate North Korea, which they see as a counterpart for communication and cooperation.
However, communication and cooperation with North Korea is ultimately meant to be for the purpose of unification, and the target is meant to be not only the administration but also the integration of the South and North Korean citizenry. Therefore, it is time for serious concern to be given to what kind of pain the extension of the Kim dynasty through three generations will have on the North Korean citizens.
Based on this thought, an article appeared last week written by Son Ho Cheol, a professor at Sogang University. Entitled, “Progressive Camp Needs to Initiate North Korean Democratization Movement”, it was published in the progressive “Pressian” on September 30th.
In it, Professor Son pointed out that even though left wingers harshly criticized former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung Hwan for the scandal that led to his recent resignation, the same people have kept silent about the North Korean third generation succession. He said they should discard the double standard whereby it is possible to criticize the South Korean government while advocating for the North Korean situation due to the special Korean Peninsula circumstances.
He also commented, "We need to start worrying about the progressive North Korean democratization movement as well.”
However, he also asserted, "Fundamentally, the democratization of North Korea should be reached by the independent will of the North Korean people. It should not be achieved by outside forces like the new right, which is stepping up to help in the democratization of North Korea from the forefront of the 'anti-democratization movement' in South Korean society, which is where we live."
Of course, the feeling of hostility toward this so-called new right camp within Professor Son's assertion is very prejudiced, and the authority to exclude anyone from working towards North Korean democratization is given to no one. The democratization of North Korea is not the exclusive property of any one individual or group which claims moral superiority or a specific philosophy.
North Korean democratization is one proposition which left and right and progressive and conservative can discuss jointly. Through this, we can leave an important stamp on humankind's log book by freeing the poor North Korean citizens, who have no choice but to serve the Kim dynasty.
Therefore, we need to consider the fact that Professor Son urged the awakening of the progressive camp on the issue of North Korea's democratization movement. As can be seen from the situation of the Democratic Labor Party, the issue of pro-North Korea sentiment is not something that can be solved easily.
However, it does not mean the task is impossible. Any group with a healthy and reasonable outlook within the progressive leftist camp can initiate a sincere discussion on its negligence toward North Korean democratization. Indeed, Social Democratic Solidarity, which is led by Joo Dae Hwan, a representative and former member of the Democratic Labor Party, is actively seeking a role for leftist group in North Korean human rights and democratization.
Within North Korea's third generation hereditary succession, which is blocking the advance of humankind, lays an opportunity. It is to be hoped that an honest discussion of the “progressive democratization movement theory” proposed by Professor Son will soon come to pass.
http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk00300&num=6867
The Korean version (well, it could/should be a basis for discussion!!) you can read here:
☞ 南 진보는 北 민주화 위해 보수와 경쟁할 때다
Last February Seoul's "re-development" Mafia (a collaboration of the city bureaucracy with the construction Mafia) selected the next victim to realize its f*cking gentrification (and anti-migrant workers) program: the Filipino Market in Hyehwa-dong...
...the Sunday venue for the migrant worker community from the Philippines...
One month later, in March, almost everyone was optimistic that the danger for the market was averted, at least for the time being...
But last week's (bourgeois/reactionary) JoongAng Ilbo(9.29) proved that "the opera ain't over until the fat lady sings":
Seoul’s Filipino market to be cut in half
Citing traffic and overcrowding, the district office is moving ahead with its plan, despite objections from marketgoers.
The Filipino market in Hyehwa-dong is facing a new obstacle in its 15-year history.
Jongno District officials are planning to cut the size of the market in half, following complaints from local residents and overcrowding in the area around the market.
The market has become a popular weekend gathering place in Seoul for expats from various countries, and expats have already raised objections to the plan.
The Filipino market is held every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in front of Dongsung High School, where vendors sell everything from daily necessities, like shampoo and soap, to specialty comestible ingredients made in the Philippines.
Seoul’s Jongno District Office said yesterday in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo that the size of the market will soon be cut to half, partially because the stalls interfere with pedestrian and vehicle traffic and also because of complaints from residents nearby.
“We plan to expel unauthorized vendors, but will allow 15 shops that have been in business for the past 15 years to remain,” said Choe Seong-min, the director of the district’s construction management division. “We know the place is a meeting spot for Philippine nationals in Korea, but the stalls cannot be legalized and residents have voiced lots of complaints about the market.”
Recently, the district office had white lines painted on the marketplace grounds to demarcate the stalls, allowing four square meters (43 square feet) for each one.
Vendors who cross the line will face consequences, the district office said.
“District office officials said if we cross the designated line, we will lose some of our merchandise,” said Park Il-sun, the leader of Hanbihoe, an association of Philippine merchants in Korea.
The market sprang up after a Filipino priest began conducting mass in Tagalog - the main spoken language in the Philippines - at Hyewha Cathedral in 1996, drawing a number of foreign nationals to the area. Today, the area is both a market and meeting place for Filipinos, Koreans and other expats.
The market is already half of its original size - it used to be 100 meters long. It will be cut in half again after the district’s plan is implemented...
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2926463
Now, "the cat is out of the bag"! Yu Jeong-kwon, head of security of the 'Presidential Committee for the G20 Summit', announced last Friday, “We will use whatever is necessary to prevent any possibilities of protests”.
But Yu's announcement remained not unanswered! More than 500 anti-G-20 activists from 81 civic groups and labour unions (incl. MTU) gathered in downtown Seoul Friday afternoon to denounce the G-20 and the special security law:
사진: 노동과세계
Last Thursday's Korea Times published the following report (incl. the "cute" cartoon):
'Sound cannon' angers protesters
The latest plan for police to use a state-of-the-art anti-protest device, “the sound cannon,” to more effectively disperse demonstrators ahead of the upcoming G20 summit has riled up controversy, spurring strong resistance from civic groups and opposition parties.
Law enforcement authorities insist that the Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) has proven safe to use, stressing the need for it and other high-tech devices to deal with violent protesters before and during the G20 summit slated for Nov. 11-12.
A police officer covers his ears during a demonstration of a directed audio device, called an
audio cannon, at the riot squad headquarters of the SMPA on Friday.(source: Hankyoreh, 10.02)
But opposition parties and civic groups claim that the police are using increasingly excessive force to clamp down on citizens opposing policies of the Lee Myung-bak administration, urging the government to scrap the plan to use the LRAD and other drastic anti-protest methods.
They also say the police should spend more money to prevent violent crimes rather than purchase such an expensive device, reasoning that the use of excessive force by the police makes protesters more violent.
On Sept. 28, the National Police Agency said it will revise the rules governing the use of police equipment in order to add the controversial acoustic device to the list of useable police gear.
The LRAD, a crowd control and hailing device developed by the U.S.-based LRAD Corp., weighs around 20 kilograms and can emit a high-frequency sound of up to 152 decibels.
If a person is exposed to the sound generated by the device for two to three seconds at 100 meters, he or she will likely suffer from a headache and pain in the eardrums...
The police also changed the rules to make it easier for riot police to use tear gas, rubber bullets and so-called “multiple launchers” if the situation arises that the lives of police officers and bystanders are threatened.
Previous regulations permitted use only when national security and public safety were at risk.
However, opposition parties and civic organizations are blasting the introduction of the latest anti-protest devices.
“There is no single reason whatsoever for the police to use such a potentially harmful device against law-abiding demonstrators. The number of violent clashes between the police and protesters here has decreased dramatically over the years. Korea is so much different from other countries in which violent conflicts take place frequently,” said Ahn Jin-geol, a manager at the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy.
He argued that the Lee administration is treating the people as a volatile mob of rioters, becoming more lenient toward harsh suppression by the police.
“In many cases, excessive use of force by the police turned peaceful demonstrations violent. The government should spend taxpayers’ money to prevent and crack down on crimes rather than to purchase high-tech anti-protest devices,” Ahn said.
On Sept. 29, Rep. Jun Byung-hun of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) said the party strongly opposes the planned introduction of the LRAD, demanding President Lee to stop provoking citizens who do not agree with his policies.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/09/117_73795.html
Related article:
☞ Anti-rally law starts, sparks protests (JoongAng Ilbo, 10.02)
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Here's MTU first "statement"(today on its facebook..): "MTU president became KCTU's first migrant worker representative. He attended last KCTU representative assembly on Oct 5th. It means migrant worker also started to join the decision making process of KCTU..."부가 정보