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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!!

 

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Since almost TWO MONTH (resp. 57 days) comrade Yeo Min-hui and Oh Su-yeong...

...union members of the Jaeneung Educational Institute (JEI) chapter of the Korean Educational Materials Industry Union, are occupying a 20-meter bell tower at the Hyehwa-dong Catholic Church in Seoul...

Related articles/reports you'll find on LabourStart!

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Despide the ongoing/increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, there are also some happy moments(^^) for the "entire Korean nation"...

Two days ago(4.01) KCNA issued the following:

The DPRK's Law on the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun was adopted.

The ordinance of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly on it was promulgated Monday.

The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il lie in state is the eternal temple of the sun of the whole Korean nation.

The ordinance says that the SPA decides to adopt this law to eternally preserve and glorify forever the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun as a grand edifice for the immortality of the leaders symbolic of Kim Il Sung's and Kim Jong Il's Korea.

On the same day KCNA published the following detailed story:

Deputy Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, made a report on the amendment and supplement to some contents of the Socialist Constitution of the DPRK and the law on the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.

According to the report, the draft amendment and supplement to the Socialist Constitution and the law on the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to be submitted to the session for discussion will legalize the plan and intention of the Workers' Party of Korea to fix by law the shining achievements made in accomplishing the cause of perpetuating the memory of the leaders and complete it on a new higher stage.

To be supplemented to the preface of the Socialist Constitution is the sentence which says that the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il lie in state is a grand edifice for the immortality of the leaders, a symbol of the dignity of the whole Korean nation and its eternal sacred temple.

The law on the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun specifies that its noble mission is to preserve and glorify forever the palace, which is the supreme temple of Juche, as the eternal temple of the sun of the entire Korean nation.

The law stipulates that Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il will be held in high esteem forever as in their lifetime at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun and that it is the obligation of all the Koreans to regard the Palace as a symbol of dignity and a great pride of the nation.

It also specifies the state duty to spruce up the Palace in a sublime and perfect way with the state, all-people and nationwide efforts and devotedly safeguard the Palace in every way so that no one can violate.

Also stipulated in the law are matters for carrying out the work of eternally preserving the Palace as the most important state work with consistency, organizing the committee for the eternal preservation of the Palace and preserving for photos, train coaches, cars, boat and other relics and orders which represent the noble lives of the great Generalissimos.

Orders were also set so that Korean people, overseas Koreans and foreigners can pay respects to the great Generalissimos at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.

Also mentioned in the law are the matters of establishment of special sanctuary of the Palace for its protection and management as well as the management of buildings in the premise of the palace, park, arboretum, outdoor lighting and lighting facilities and orders concerning the operation of the plaza and the park of the Palace.

It was specified in the law that electricity, facilities, materials and other supplies needed for the Palace shall be planned separately and be provided without fail on a top priority basis. The law also set the duty to be fulfilled by relevant institutions to strictly supervise and control on a regular basis the work for safeguarding, eternally preserving and providing the conditions for the management and operation of the Palace.

The reporter said that the law on the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun is the unique code for the immortality of the leaders, adding that it is the biggest honor for the army and people of the DPRK to have the legal weapon for the immortality of the leaders.

The adoption of the law will serve as a historic occasion for defending and further glorifying the idea on perpetuating the memory of the leaders clarified by the dear respected Kim Jong Un, he stressed.

The reporter said that the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK submits the draft amendment and supplement to the Socialist Constitution and the draft law on the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to the SPA session for discussion according to Article 95 of the Socialist Constitution.

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About one month ago(3.08) so-called 'civil servants'(i.e. thugs, hired by Seoul's Jung District Office) attacked the Ssangyong Memorial Site nearby Daehanmun - the main entrance of Deoksu-gung(palace) in downtown Seoul - in an attempt to remove/destroy the remaining sit-in struggle tent...

 
But despite the ongoing threat - the order to remove the sit-in struggle tent is still valid - the area around struggle site recently became a place for creative crafts, staged by activists of Cultural Solidarity.

Here just some impressions from last Sunday's activities there(photos by Shin Yoo-ah):

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종탑 고공농성으로 찾아가는 문예 4월2~5일
장소: 혜화동 성당 맞은편 재능본사앞
시간: 저녁 7시

 2일(火): 가수 오혜란
 3일(水): 시인 정세훈.노동가수 김성만
 4일(木): 기독대책위 기도회
 5일(金): 김홍춘 시인 노래하는 이씬 노래패 아름다운 청년
 글고 제 생일 은 음력 4월5일 입니다.

 
투쟁에서 가장 소중한것은 사람을 사랑하는 마음
동지를 사랑하는 마음 입니다.
사랑하는 마음이 막 솟대.