CINA

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Last Friday in front of Seoul's Nat'l Assembly: Thousands of activists protested - once again - against the planned ratification of the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement(*)...
 

Corresponding (Must read!!): The Korea Trade Agreement: A Good Deal for America (^^)


* Related articles:
☞ 한미 FTA저지 집회, 국회 진입...63명 연행 (NewsCham, 10.28)
☞ 한미FTA 저지투쟁, 김영훈 위원장 등 64명 폭력연행 (KCTU, 10.28)
☞ "밑질 것 없으니 밀어붙이겠다? 총선에서 심판할 것" (VoP, 10.28)
 

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Impressions from today's solidarity rally (incl. culture program, "solidarity kitchen" etc.) to support the struggle of exploited, oppressed and dismissed Jaeneung(Education Institute/JEI) workers, who are since 1,408 days in sit-in strike in downtown Seoul, to obtain justice and the implementation of full labour rights:
 

More pics about today's Solidarity Rally you'll find here!!

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On Sept. 30 MTU informed its members "September 19-30: The Korean Immigration notification period for employers that there will be an intensive crackdown.  ->October 1-30: The voluntary departure program will start.  ->November1-30: Will be the 'Intensive Crackdown' period"

And according to the S. Korean mainstream media next Tuesday the (annually) season for hunting(incl. injuring and killing), arresting and deporting of so-called "illegal" migrant workers will be opened.

Three days ago Korea Times (based on Yonhap news "report") wrote the following:

Gov't to crack down on illegal immigrant workers
 

The government will next month clamp down on illegal foreign workers who may be staying in the country without proper working visas, the Justice Ministry said Monday.

The move comes as the number of illegal immigrants in South Korea remained high in recent years despite efforts by the authorities to bring the problem under control.

As of the end of June, 166,518 foreigners were overstaying their working visas, a modest decrease from 177,955 in 2009 and 168,515 in 2010, according to the authorities.

The ministry said 17 immigration offices under its wing will conduct the one-month crackdown together with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the National Police Agency and the Korea Coast Guard.

The crackdown will be mainly centered on workplaces that employ illegal workers, residential areas near foreign labor-concentrated factory zones, employment agencies and construction sites or service providers, which tend to hire relatively cheaper laborers, according to the ministry.

The target sites were chosen because they are considered to compromise job opportunities for local job seekers in the low-income bracket or to give a rise to illicit sex service providers, the ministry noted.

In the tally of illegal foreigners, Chinese nationals accounted for the bulk of the undocumented workers with a total of 69,943. Chinese with Korean backgrounds accounted for 19,637 of that total.

Vietnamese workers represented the second biggest illegal labor group with a population of 16,873, followed by Thai people with 12,905.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/10/117_97233.html

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The Network for Glocal Activism released y'day the following call for int'l solidarity:

 
Dear friends,

This is a solidarity letter to support a woman worker who has been sexually harassed by her managers, and unfairly dismissed at a subcontractor of Hyundai Motor. She has been holding a sit-in struggle in front of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family from June.

We are deeply concerned about her health. But this solidarity action is not just for her but also for all those women who suffer sexual harassment at... work places. And especially, for those women workers who work at subcontractors. For them it is very hard to fight against sexual harassment at the shop floor. Because the owner of subcontractors can simply fire them or cancel their labor contract, if found in trouble. And the prime contractors will never take their responsibility. Her case is very typical case to highlight such widespread and rampant practices. So this is a very important to break this wrongful practice in Korea.

Please take action to urge that the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and Hyundai Motor to take the responsibility and set out to find an answer for this problem. All those concerned authorities should be made responsible to punish offenders and to have her reinstated promptly.

DETAILS:

Ms. Park had worked for 14 years at a factory of Hyundai Motor in Asan, Korea. She had renewed her labor contract with different subcontractors every two years. But regardless of whoever the employer was, she had worked same works in that factory.

A group leader and the manager of that factory sexually harassed her from April 2009. They swore at her with unspeakable words and demanded to have sex with them over the phone. Furthermore, they touched her body and threatened her.

Eventually, she told of her suffering to her colleague one day. But after this news became known to other co-workers, the employer punished her. The reason was that she tarnished the company’s image by her careless behavior. What was worse, the offender attended in the personnel committee as a member.

At first, she was suspended for six months. And after the retrial, they decided to cut her wages for three months.

So she petitioned the National Human Rights Commission to judge whether this case is sexual harassment or not.

Then, the personnel committee dismissed her from work.

She started picketing alone at the main gate of the factory. But the security guards and managers assaulted her. So she was hospitalized for four weeks. This time on, she started a sit-in struggle in the factory, but they attacked her again.

On November 2010, the subcontractor, Kumyang Logistics, reported a closure of the business. And another subcontractor, Hyungjin Company, hired all workers of Kumyang except her. She continued her struggle in front of the factory, but they attacked her whenever she set up a tent.

On the 14th of January 2011, the National Human Rights Commission reached a ruling that her case was definitely a sexual harassment and urged the employer and the offenders to compensate her for mental and physical damage. But they have ignored the judgment and take no particular action. A officer of the Ministry of Employment and Labor told they can do nothing because Kumyang closed their business. And another officer of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family told they can nothing either because their business is not to seek a resolution but just to train anti-sexual violence.

Hyundai Motor strongly denies that they need to take any responsibility as a prime contractor. Furthermore, Hyundai Motor distributed an official paper to the members of the National Assembly during the inspection saying that she is a divorcee and a trouble maker.

But Ms. Park does not retract and now keeps on her sit-in struggle in front of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family for more than 150 days.

On the 2nd of Sep 2011, the private security guards attacked her tent in front of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

 The sit-in/protest "camp" in front of Ministry of Gender "Equality" and Family in downtown Seoul (10.26)

 
SUGGESTED ACTIONS:

There are many things that you can do in response to this appeal. Here are just four of them.

1. If you agree to our action, please sign up for our public statement. Send a reply to us, with your name and the name of your organization on it. Then we’ll hold a press conference in front of Hyundai Motor, backed up with the expression of your solidarity.

2. Also, you can sign and send a sample letter below or send your own letter. (The content of this sample letter is same as our public statement.)

3. If you have a blog or other online presence, please write about this case.

4. Use a social media and networking sites to urge the punishment of offenders and reinstatement of Ms. Park back into Hyundai Motor.

For further informations, please contact the Network for Glocal Activism: (http://www.glocalactivism.org/)

Tel : +82 2 593 5910

Fax : +82 2 593 5910

E-mail : glocal.activism@gmail.com
 

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A PUBLIC STATEMENT (SAMPLE LETTER)

(Dear ___________)

Punish the offenders of sexual harassment and reinstate Ms. Park.

We were shocked to hear the news that a woman worker has been holding a sit-in struggle for more than 150 days asking for the punishment of those offenders who sexually harassed her and reinstatement of her. We can’t understand why she was unfairly dismissed, despite being a victim of sexual harassment. And we are deeply concerned that this case has a bad effect on the women workers’ rights in Korea.

Many of women workers are sexually harassed at the work places. But it calls for great courage to expose their problem. Especially, it is even harder for those women workers who working at a subcontractor because of their precarious employment. So if a woman worker reveals her problem, the company has to protect her and solve the problem immediately. But Ms. Park was dismissed just because she made her suffering known to her colleagues. Another shocking fact is that the offender is still working at the same factory. We know that the National Human Rights Commission judged her case definitely constituted a sexual harassment and urged the employer and offenders should compensate her for damage. If they keep avoiding their responsibility, Hyundai Motor has to punish them and reinstate Ms. Park, using its position as a prime contractor. But we came across a report that Hyundai Motor distributed an official paper to condemn her not to save her.

We regret that Ms. Park has no choice but to keep her sit-in in front of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, because the ministries and companies who should take the responsibility do not come on her side, avoiding their responsibility.

We urge them as below

(when you send a letter, choose addressee and make it clear what you want to do)

To Hyundai Motors

-Apologize to her for secondary harassment, by mentioning and condemning her privacy.

-Punish offenders and reinstate Ms. Park to her work.

To Hyungjin Company

-Punish offenders and reinstate Ms. Park immediately.

To the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family

-Demand strongly to Hyundai Motors to take an action and solve this problem promptly.

-Take preventive and counter measures for women workers not to be unfairly dismissed on the account of exposing sexual harassment.

(Yours sincerely,)

----------------

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Mr. Jung Mong-gu

Chairman, Hyundai Motor Company

231, Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea

2. Mr. Kim Sang-hoon

Chairman, Hyunjin Company

Hyundai Motor, 129, Gumsung-lee, Injoo-myun, Asan, Korea

Tel : +82 41 530 5996

Fax : +82 41 532 1954

3. Mr. Lee Chae-pil

Minister, Ministry of Employment and Labor

BD #1, Gwacheon Government Complex

47, Gwanmoon-ro, Gwacheon, Korea

Tel: +82 2 503 9700

Fax: +82 2 504 6708

4. Ms. Kim Kum-lae

Minister, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family

Premier Place BD, 8, Cheonggyecheon-ro , Joong-gu, Seoul, Korea

Tel : +82 2 2075 4501

Fax : +82 2 3210 4702

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The following article was published in yesterday's Hankyoreh newspaper:

Megachurch pastors begin ideological attacks

as mayoral election nears

Pastors have used pulpits to strongly imply congregation members should vote for GNP candidate Na Kyung-won

With the Seoul mayoral election three days away, megachurch pastors Kim Hong-do and Jeon Kwang-hoon launched ideological attacks Sunday on opposition candidate Park Won-soon.

While leading a prayer during a service at Kum Ran United Methodist Church in the Mangubon neighborhood of Seoul’s Jungnang District, Kim, the church’s director, said, “What are we to do if someone who belongs to Satan and demons becomes mayor of Seoul, which is like our heart?” (^^)

Kim also said, “Let us pray that someone with healthy ideas and a proper national view becomes prayer. The fate of the nation is in jeopardy if this mayoral election goes wrong.”

Kum Ran United Methodist Church is the world’s largest Methodist church, with a congregation of some 120 thousand.

As they were leaving the service, members of the congregation were asked who the “someone with a proper national view” that Kim spoke of was. Three women in their 70s answered that it was Grand National Party (GNP) candidate Na Kyung-won. “Everyone in the congregation knows that,” they said.

A woman in her 20s answered, “The Grand National Party [candidate].”

Two men in their 20s were asked who the “someone affiliated with Satan and demons was.”

“The man [Park], not the woman [Na],” one answered.

At the end of his prayer, Kim added that the latest issue of the Jayu Daehan Sinmun newspaper had come out and asked that members of the flock “take three or four them, pass them around to your member members, and especially encourage young people” to read them. Thousands of copies of the newspaper were positioned at the exits to the chapel.

The Oct. 20 edition of the newspaper, which is published by the Association to Commemorate the Founding of the Republic of Korea, includes a contribution on pages 2 and 3 by Rev. Suh Kyung-suk.

“It has come to light that when People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy has criticized corporations, and those corporations have generally sent contributions of hundreds of millions of won or more to the Beautiful Foundation,” Rev. Suh wrote about Park. “The coordination of the Beautiful Foundation and PSPD is no different at all from an organized crime group.”

Suh made his opposition to Park clear, demanding that the candidate “clarify whether he will maintain ties with the Democratic Labor Party, which is a leftist party serving North Korea and a group of followers of Kim Jong-il.”

“If my questions about Park Won-soon are resolved, I would like to reconcile with him and withdraw my opposition,” he added.

Jeon Kwang-hoon also criticized the political opposition during a sermon at Sarangjeil Presbyterian Church of Korea in the Jangwi neighborhood of Seoul’s Seongbuk District.

“The opposition is repudiating the Republic of Korea,” Jeon said, adding, “Where else do you find a party that won’t even let you use the term ‘liberal democracy’?”

Jeon previously sparked controversy by spearheading the founding of the Christian Liberal Democratic Party and giving 10 million won ($8,780) to the Korea Parent Federation to fight the Hope Bus campaign.

An official with the Seoul election commission said that the distribution of the Jayu Daehan Sinmun at Kum Ran United Methodist Church was suspended after being deemed problematic early on.

“We are currently examining matters closely to determine whether the content of sermons at Kum Ran United Methodist Church and elsewhere was in violation of election law,” the official added.

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/502112.html

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Yesterday afternoon at least 3,000 unionized workers of the Korea Exchange Bank(KEB) protested against the ongoing deals connected with the mainly illegal hawking(*) of "their" bank. KEB labour union, a part of KCTU, fears that the ongoing dirty deals will lead - sooner or later - to massive job cuts. Here some impressions from the "highlight" of yesterday's protest rally in front of KEB HQ in Myeong-dong (downtown Seoul):
 

This - alas(!!) - are not the remains of KEB HQ, only the performances' leftovers(^^)...

More impressive pics you can see here!

* Related article:

☞ KEB labor union to resume rallies against Hana's KEB purchase (Yonhap, 10.7)

 

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Impressions from yesterday's "national" protest rally of 'irregular' workers (sadly "only" 5,000 out of 8,000,000 paricipated) in front of Seoul's City Hall(*):

* Korea Times "reported" the following: ...the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, a radical labor umbrella group, held a rally at the plaza, calling for an end to discrimination between regular and non-regular workers, and more welfare benefits.
According to police estimates, about 3,000 construction workers and non-permanent employees from all industries took part in a laborers’ rally at the plaza, demanding the government guarantee all workers a minimum living standard, labor rights and job security.

 

More pics you can see here!

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Impressions from Bomun Market ('redevelopment' zone in Seoul/Seongbuk-gu/Seongbuk-dong), already authorized for the complete destruction: