5112개의 게시물을 찾았습니다.
Yesterday the Duriban Sit-in Collective had their final meeting with the "development" company (Namjeon D&C, a subcontractor of the notorious GS/the former LG Construction Mafia) plus some representatives of Seoul's Mapo District Office... and their negotiation resulted in an "almost complete success", according to activists who were involved in the 531 days sit-in struggle(*) to resist the intially announced evection order.
The "conflicting parties", i.e. the Duriban Collective and the "development" company(Namjeon D&C) agreed that...
-> Namjeon D&C will pay for the complete compensation and all penalties which Duriban is supposed to pay
-> Namjeon D&C will cancel all "legal cases"
-> the compensation is including financial loss Duriban has lost while they couldn't work for long time
-> but finally Duriban must move out
According to some progressive, independent news reports (such as NewsCham, 6.08) this is the first case of successful negotiation related to a struggle against eviction...
* Related previous contributions you can check out here, here, here and here!
Int'l Petition urging that the 10 Vietnamese Migrant Workers be found Not Guilty and Released (effective 2011.6.07)
Recently, 10 Vietnamese migrant workers working in South Korea were arrested, detained and brought to trial. The 10 individuals had been among 200 Vietnamese workers employed to construct the substructure of a container wharf at the Incheon New Port last year. The Prosecutor's Office has charged them with several crimes including obstruction of business, group violence, mob assault and assault with a deadly weapon.
In addition, the prosecution is claiming that the Vietnamese migrant workers carried out an illegal strike, through which they caused significant losses to the company that employed them.
In reality, however, these workers faced subhuman treatment and were subjected to forced labor on the Incheon New Port construction site. They were not allowed to rest on Sundays despite the fact that the South Korean Labor Standards Act guarantees workers one day of a week. They were forced to work in 12-hour shifts, with one running during the day and the other during the night. All the while they receiving only minimum wage. In addition, they were forced to pay for meals despite the fact that their employer had originally promised that meals would be provided. Even worse, management, claiming that they did not work hard enough, began deducting an hour worth of wages from their pay. These actions constitute severe violations of the Labor Standard Act and violation of the workers' employment contract. When the workers protested, however, management responded by telling them they would be fired or, "reported to the Ministry of Labor and deported."
For workers to refuse their labor in the face of such unfair conditions is completely justified. And, indeed, the Incheon New Port workers responded with a strike. Regardless of the technical legality or illegality of this collective action, it must be recognized that refusing to provide labor when management is in violation of the employment contract is a completely justified act. As such, the prosecution's indictment is blatantly unjust.
In its letter of indictment the prosecution claims that the workers who were arrested had led the strike and used threats and force to make other workers participate. It has become clear in the course of the trial. However, that some of the workers arrested had, in fact, worked at the construction site for less than a week and were not even familiar with their duties there. Given this fact we cannot help but doubt the credibility of the prosecution's indictment. Far from what the prosecution is claiming, these workers were pushed into two rounds of spontaneous action by the subhuman conditions under which they were forced to work.
The prosecution's accusation of "group violence" is also highly doubtful. We believe that the prosecution has exaggerated this charge in order to create a basis for calling the group action "illegal".
All of the Vietnamese workers involved in this incident had come to Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS). The South Korean government claims that the EPS protects the labor rights of migrant workers in full. This case shows, however, that the labor rights of migrant workers in South Korea are actually completely disregarded. What is more, the conditions faced by the Incheon New Port workers are not at all unique. They are similar to the conditions faced by the majority of migrant workers in South Korea.
If these workers are found guilty of the charges brought against them, it will be a direct demonstration of just how unequal and unjust the South Korean government and South Korean society's treatment of migrant workers is. We sincerely hope that these workers will be found not guilty and freed so they can return to their lives as
common workers for the sake of their futures and their families in Vietnam. If these workers are found guilty they will all be subject to forcible deportation under the Immigration Control Act. We fervently hope that their employer's cruel treatment and the prosecution's trumped-up charges will not led to the horrible consequence of turning this young workers into law-breakers.
In solidarity with our comrades,
Edre Olalia,President, International Association of People's Lawyers (IAPL) & Secretary General, National Unuion of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL), Philippines
Dorinda Moreno, Fuerza Mundial / FM Global & Hitec Aztec Communications, Elders of 4 Colors 4 Directions & U.S. Liaison Secretariat, International Tribunal of Conscience/TICPM
Comisión Jurídica del Tribunal Internacional de Conciencia de los Pueblos en Movimiento (becoming a permanent forum for Migration and Displacement) & May Day United, Outreach (Mexico and beyond)
Camilo Perez Bustillo, Law Professor and Lead Attorney, International Tribunal of Conscience/TICPM/Comisión Jurídica del Tribunal Internacional de Conciencia de los Pueblos en Movimiento
Chito Quijano, International League of Peoples Struggles,Auditor,Los Angeles CA
John Parker, International Action Center,West Coast Coordinator,Los Angeles, CA USA
Nikole Cababa, AnakBayan LA,Long Beach, CA, United States
Tim Ly, Chinese Progressive Association,Lead Organizer,San Francisco, CA, United States
Kuusela Hilo, BAYAN USA,Vice Chairperson,Los Angeles, CA, US
Aurora Victoria David,Anakbayan Silicon Valley,Chairperson,Palo Alto, CA, United States
Nguyen Pham,Stanford University,Student Stanford, CA, United States
Sandry Le,Stanford, CA
Teresa Nguyen,Stanford, CA, United States
Paul Valen,Anakbayan SD,San Diego, CA United States
Stacy Villalobos,Stanford Immigrant Rights Project,Stanford, CA, United States
Diana Huynh,Stanford, CA, US
Nati Carrera,SCIC,Los Angeles, CA
Arianna Wassmann,Stanford, CA, United States
Leilani Albano,Los Angeles, CA, United States
Jessica Antonio Bayan USA,Regional Coordinator,San Jose, CA, United States
Geline Evangelista,Filipino Migrant Center,Board Member, Carson, CA, United States
Aldric U.,Stanford, CA, United States
Julian Jaravata,Anakbayan Silicon Valley,Stanford, CA
Aracely Mondragon,Stanford, CA, United States
Anh Truong,Stanford, CA, United States
Joe Hemschoot,Palo Alto, CA, United States
Donna Wallach,Justice for Palestinians,Founder San Josè, CA, United States of North America
wendy wu,san francisco, CA, United States
Rosylin Dean,Women's International League for Peace and Freedom,San Jose CA
Hong Ho,Stanford, CA
Tiffany Basa,Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines,San Francisco, CA, USA
Ellen Le,Stanford Vietnamese Student Association,Cupertino, CA
Apollo Victoria,Habi Arts,Los Angeles, CA, United States
Raul Anorve,Los Angeles, CA. United States
Joi Barrios-Leblanc,Berkeley, CA
Irma Bajar,Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment-Gabriela USA,Chairperson,Brooklyn, New York
Bernadette Ellorin,BAYAN USA,Chairperson,New York, NY, United States
Dianne Saichek,San Jose, CA, U.S.
Jan Tokumaru,Los Angeles, CA, USA
Annie Sayo,NAFCON Northern CA, USA,Regional Coordinator,Bay Area, California
Van-Anh Nguyen,San Jose, CA, United States
junya,asia
alex tom,oakland, CA, USA
Sandie Richards,Board of Church and Society, California-Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church Chairperson,Los Angeles, CA USA
Aquilina Versoza,Pilipino Workers Center,Executive Director,Los Angeles, CA United States
Arlene Rodrigo,Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment,Cultural Director,New York, NY
Jennifer Gutierrez,United Methodist Church, California-Pacific Conference,Director of Urban Ministry,Los Angeles, CA, United States
LOIS ABUGHO,GABRIELLA USA,Member,Queens, NY, USA
Vic and Barby Ulmer,our developing world,CO Directors,Saratoga CA United States
Ryan Leano,SanDiwa,San Francisco, CA
Thanh D. Nguyen,Sunnyvale, TX
Valerie Francisco,Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE), GABRIELA USA,Education officer New York, NY, USA
Kris Sankaran,Stanford Asian American Activists,Stanford, CA, United States
Nancy Pham,Winter Park, FL
Nguyen Ngo,Stanford, CA, USA
Michael Tayag,Stanford, CA, United States
Lucia Lin,Los Angeles, CA
Alison Fogarty,Stanford Universtiy,Graduate Student,San Francisco, CA, United States
Lory Nguyen Ishii,Caritas Legal, P.C.,Principal Attorney,Los Angeles, CA, United States
Lolan Sevilla,Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment,Member,Brooklyn, NY, United States
Serenity Nguyen,Fountain Valley, CA, United States
Celina Benitez, SANA, Los Angeles, CA
Related:
☞ SOLIDARITY MESSAGE Migrante International (6.06)
Vietnamese Migrant Workers Detained and Brought to Trial!
Background
Recently 10 Vietnamese migrant construction workers working in South Korea were arrested, detained and brought to the trial.
The Prosecutor's Office has charged them with several crimes including obstruction of business, group violence, mob assault and assault with a deadly weapon. The prosecution is claiming the Vietnamese migrant workers carried out an illegal strike. In its letter of indictment the prosecution claims that the workers who were arrested had led the strike and used threats and force to make other workers participate.
All those arrested are documented migrant workers who entered South Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS). If they are convicted, they are highly likely to face deportation under the Immigration Control Act.
The 10 individuals had been among 200 Vietnamese workers employed to construct the substructure of a container wharf at the Incheon New Port last year.
Cruel working conditions
-> KRW 4,110/hour wage (minimum wage).
-> 12-hour shifts from 7:00 to 19:00 (Lunch break: 12:00-13:00). The company almost always ran two shifts, one from 7:00 to 19:00 and one from 19:00 to 7:00.
-> Work on Saturday and Sunday even though the employment contract stipulated a Monday to Friday work week.
-> Only 1 meal a day (lunch) provided free of charge. The cost of breakfast and lunch (KRW 240,000 a month) was deducted from wages. For this reason, the major demand during the strike was the provision of three meals a day. The company offered breakfast and dinner for free from April to May, 2010. But it notified the workers it would offer only lunch for free beginning in July. Many workers who had worked since April staged a walkout and refused to work.
The 1st Strike: July 22 to 25, 2010
Beginning at 7 o’clock in the morning on the 22th of July, 2010, roughly two hundred Vietnamese workers went on a walkout. The walkout continued until 7 o’clock in the evening on the 25th of July, 2010.
The workers made the following demands:
-> That they be provided three meals a day, free of charge.
-> That the not be forced to work at night against their will.
-> That they be allowed to have friends visit them in company-provided living quarters.
-> That they be allowed to have food, drink and alcohol in their living quarters.
*The company argued that the strike caused losses worth KRW 1 billon. It said it was forced to hired local workers and had to paid extra to rent equipment for an extended period of time.
The 2nd Strike: January 9 to 10, 2010
Most of the Vietnamese workers went on a walkout against beginning on January 9,, 2011. In response, the company changed its policy. It reduced recognized work hours from 12 to 11 hours (The workers worked for 12 hours from 7:00 to 19:00pm, with a lunch break from 12:00 to 1:00pm). The company had previously recognized 12 working hours including 4 hours of overtime work.
*The company argued the second strike caused losses worth KRW 109 million.
Arrests and trial
The 10 Vietnamese migrants continued to be employed and worked after the strike.
Some of those who were arrested had only begun to work in July 2010. As such, they were not in the condition to lead the first strike.
The 10 workers were arrested in March and April 2011, and were charged with interfering with the business, group violence, and mob assault with a deadly weapon.
At a hearing on May 26, the prosecution asked that the workers be given prison sentences of 3 years to 2 of the workers, 1 year and 6 months to 1 worker, 1 year to 6 workers and 1 year suspended for 2 years to 1 worker.
The next hearing in the case will be on June 9.
Yesterday's Korea Herald published the following - in parts 'slightly'(^^) baised - report:
Stores biggest losers in Insa-dong War
Confrontation between city, street vendors may escalate
Normally a street that contains a harmonious balance of both tranquility and bustling excitement, Insa-dong can leave you with a sense of what Korea might have been.
But with the recent crackdown on street vendors, many foreigners are left wondering why the streets look like a warzone and stores are without customers.
After deciding to create a street without cars, and to expand the space for pedestrians at Insa-dong, the Jongno District Office is attempting to relocate the street vendors, who are technically illegal, to designated sectors off the main road.
But street vendors were unanimously favored by foreigners visiting Insa-dong, despite district officials insisting that foreigners do not want them there.
“I like it (street vendors) because they make the food right in front of you and its fun, and they are certainly cheap,” said Ben Whittaker who was visiting from Australia.
And according to the district office, foreigners are their main target demographic for Insa-dong.
“We absolutely enjoy the street stalls, and what they have here at the moment is a nice balance between street stalls and stores,” said Thomas Gervay from Australia.
According to Kim Keun-ki, leader of an association of the street vendors, this is the only thing he can do for a living, saying that street vendors do not have the luxury of choice.
“Elementary school education was the only education I got, so I can’t even submit a job application because no one wants to hire an elementary school grad,” said Kim who owns a Korean taffy, or yeot stall.
“On a good day, I probably only make about 20,000 won ($18).”
And what the vendors are most upset about is that they are being relocated from the busiest areas of Insa-dong to an area that the vendors call “the grave,” according to Kim.
The district’s recent crackdown on street stalls has only led to violence on the streets, broken stalls, injured vendors, district officials and foreigners passing by, and empty stores.
“Because of this (protest) Insa-dong is in disarray right now, we have less customers coming in because the surrounding area has become so rough, said a store owner who declined to give her name.
“For every day there is violence in our streets, we lose that many customers,” said a former street vendor turned store owner.
“The people who are truly affected by all of this are the store owners who simply lose customers because of the fights between the district office and the street vendors,” said another store owner in an alleyway at Insa-dong.
However, despite the popularity of street stalls among foreigners, to most store owners the recent string of violence is just another problem that street vendors bring to Insa-dong.
“It’s completely unreasonable that the street vendors are still protesting, despite the district’s attempt to look the other way and accommodate them,” said the former street vendor.
“We have to pay expensive key money deposits, rent and various taxes that really add up too, but vendors do not pay a single won to the government for the public land that they use,” said a calligraphy store owner.
And store owners feel further victimized by the vendors, often portrayed in the media as people struggling to make ends meet, when according to the former street vendor, most vendors easily make more than 100,000 won a day.
“Many of them have a small fortune,” said the store owner who declined to give his name.
“Some operate several stalls that have part-time hires working them in different locations,” he said, who still keeps close ties with many of the street vendors at Insa-dong.
According to multiple sources, the street vendor’s alliance at Insa-dong, is not just a means to band together to face the district, but it is also an organization that rules the cultural street with an iron fist.
“I’ve seen people set up a little street stall in Insa-dong, only to be harassed by street vendors in the alliance, eventually leading to violence,” said a store owner.
According to the store owner, the key money deposit for public spaces on the street can cost up to 50 million won, and those that do not pay, face the consequences.
“When I ran my own stall, I got permission from the store owner I was selling in front of, but the alliance still came and tried to stop me from doing business,” said the former stall owner.
“We even landed in the police stations a couple times because things got violent between us,” he said.
The district office has found itself in a dilemma, after declaring Insa-dong street a pedestrian zone, inevitably clashing officials with the vendors.
According to Choi Sung-min director at the district office’s Construction Management Division, the motion to relocate the vendors is to create a friendly walking environment, despite many foreigners agreeing that you can simply walk around them and that it does not cause much hassle.
However, Choi added that the district office is still undergoing talks with the street vendors’ alliance to create a peaceful solution.
http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110605000146
Related article:
☞ Street vendors heading downhill (K. Times, 6.02)
The Korean Federation of Construction Industry Trade Unions (KFCITU) issued last Thursday the following press release:
We call on the Lee Myung-bak Gov't to Stop the Repression of Vietnamese Migrant Construction Workers!
10 Vietnamese migrant workers were recently imprisoned for having demanded better treatment while working on a construction site at the Incheon New Port last year.
Hyundai Construction was the main company overseeing the construction at this site. Roughly 180 Vietnamese workers working on the site were employed by Taeheung Construction, a subcontractor contracted with Hyundai Construction. These workers were mainly responsible for iron bar work, laying concrete and plastering. They worked for 12 hours at a time on two nighttime shifts. Taeheung Construction had provided three meals a day. Last June, however, the company began deducting 8,000 won a day for two meals, seeking to increase its profits at the workers' expense.
Resenting this bad treatment, the workers began demanding improvements last July. The company, however, threatened them saying, "If you don't work, we will report you to the Ministry of Labor and have you all deported." Further angered, the workers refused to work from July 22 (Thurs.) to July 25 (Sun.) in protest against the company's attitude.
The company did nothing to meet the workers' demands. Instead it reduced the their pay, recognizing only 11 hours of work when they in fact worked for 12. In response, the workers again refused to work from January 9 (Sat.) to Jan. 10 (Sun.), 2011.
We are enraged by the fact that Taeheung Construction felt it could deducted 240,000 won a month for meals fee, when it was only paying the workers minimum wage (4,110 won/hr.).
In March and April, several months after the workers' action, the Gyeonggi Provincial police arrested and imprisoned some of the workers who were, by that time, working at other worksites. The police have plans to make more arrest related to the incident. What is more, the police and Prosecutor's Office are exaggerating the charges, claiming that small skirmishes that occurred during the action and interpersonal conflicts were actually collective acts of violence. These actions demonstrates the authorities' misguided beliefs that migrant workers should quietly follow the company's orders and that any demands they make for better treatment are by nature illegal. The authorities' actions are clearly labor repression as well as violations of human rights and international law.
The ROK Constitution's guarantee of the 3 basic labor rights (right to association, right to collective bargaining and right to strike) applies to all workers regardless of their nationality and race. In addition, both the ILO and the UN have adopted conventions on the rights of migrant workers, which protect equal treatment for all workers.
Instead of perpetrating labor repression against these migrant workers, the South Korean government should punish the company's illegal treatment and human rights violations, which include requiring workers to work excessively long hours and at night, reductions in break times and refusal of a day off once a week.
Hyundai Construction, the main company at the Incheon New Port site, has been bragging about the fact that it recently won a contract to build a Mariott Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam worth 1 billion won. This is particularly offensive arrogance, given that the company should be ashamed of its role in this incident. Hyundai Construction should making improving the conditions at its construction sites its top priority and take responsibly for the unjust imprisonment of the Vietnamese workers.
The Korean Federation of Construction Industry Trade Unions (KFCITU) will fight with other labor, migrants, and human rights organizations to win justice for these Vietnamese migrant workers, who have been the targets of repression and unjust imprisonment. And, we will continue to struggle against the repression of construction workers around the world.
June 2, 2011
Korean Federation of Construction Industry Trade Unions (KFCITU)
Affiliate of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU)
Related reports:
☞ 검찰, 베트남 건설 이주노동자 10명에게 중형 구형 (참세상, 6.01)
☞ “밥 더 달라” 시위·파업한 베트남 노동자 10명 구속 (경향신문, 6.01)
☞ ‘인권논란’ 베트남노동자 오늘 선고공판 (인천신문, 6.02)
Reuters reported y'day the following:
S.Korea's Lee vows to get tough on strikes
Conservative South Korean President Lee Myung-bak vowed on Monday to crack down on strikes that cut across industries, as a second stoppage in a week interrupted business, this time at an international bank.
Last week, the government sent in 2,500 riot police to break up a strike at an auto parts maker that had threatened to disrupt production at Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors , whose combined sales are fifth in global car sales.
In a show of force, riot police decked out in body armour and equipped with shields, outnumbered the protesters by about five-to-one.
"The public is never going to forgive any attempt to undermine an entire industry through a strike at one work place," Lee said in a national radio address on Monday, noting the striking factory workers were relatively well paid taking home on average 70 million won ($65,000) a year.
On Monday, union workers at Standard Chartered First Bank walked off the job opposing a management plan to change their terms of employment to annual salary contracts.
The stoppages come amid rising public discontent over inflation, a growing rich-poor divide and welfare issues, while the country's rising household debt has worried economists.
The crackdown was the latest in Lee's tough response to action by unions and is aimed as much at curbing their powerful political influence, experts say.
Unionised labour is seen as an obstacle for more investment both by domestic manufacturers and by overseas investors who see them as responsible for a rigid and volatile labour market.
"What we need is a mutually coexisting economy where cooperation between the labour and management raises productivity which leads to investment and more jobs," said Lee, a one-time boss of one of the country's big construction firms.
Until recent years, South Korea was notorious for violent protests and union-led stoppages, but Lee's no-nonsense approach has largely stopped such action.
Some economists have expressed concern that Lee's tough stance may be excessively anti-union, especially in light of his pledge to pursue growth that benefits all, not just the rich.
"He's had some close aides involved in scandals and is going into the end of his term, and he does like to take things head on, but he could have taken on a more measured approach," said Kwon Young-joon of Kyunghee University in Seoul.
Lee's popularity has nose-dived in recent months and last week's industrial action raised worry about protests this summer, as youth unemployment remains high and the government comes under pressure to reduce university fees.
The ruling Grand National Party and the opposition Democrats are running neck-and-neck in opinion polls ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections next year.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/30/korea-labour-idUSL3E7GU09U20110530
Yesterday's (bourgeois) Korea Times reported the following:
Conflict deepens in Insa-dong
Street vendors vow to resist ward office's relocation plan
As usual, Insa-dong in central Seoul is crowded with foreign tourists busy taking pictures, looking around the shops and buying souvenirs or food on Sunday afternoon.
The peaceful scene makes it hard to imagine what took place in this tourist area over the last couple of weeks ― brutal clashes between street vendors and demolition workers hired by the Jongno District Office.
Just one week ago(5.24) thugs ("demolition workers"), hired by the Jongno-gu office...
...attacked the Insa-dong street vendors
The violent physical clashes are expected to be repeated as workers hired by the ward office will use force to push the plan to relocate the recalcitrant stall owners to two designated spots so tourists can more freely walk along the main street of Insa-dong.
The crackdown is also in line with a move to make the street car-free on weekdays as well as weekends.
Vendors a part of culture
However, street vendors are resisting the relocation plan, using their bodies to block demolition workers from taking their stalls.
Some of the stalls were broken into pieces with their owners defiantly opposing the crackdown. One street vendor passed out during the clash and was taken to a nearby hospital.
The clash obviously shocked citizens and travelers witnessing the violence in one of the most popular attractions for foreign tourists.
There have been more than 30 minor and major clashes there this year.
In the beginning of April large forces of "demolition workers"...
...threatened the Insa-dong street vendors with massive violence!!
Stallholders claim their sales will suffer drastically as the new sites are away from central Insadong and obviously less traversed by tourists.
“They are threatening our survival,” said Kim Geun-ki, a senior member of Jongno Street Vendor’s Union. “They’re moving us to places where few people visit, and it is obvious that we won’t make a living there.”
Kim, who has sold “yeot” (Korean taffy) from a stall for 15 years, said 730 street vendors from Jongno 1-ga to 6-ga streets were all moved to eight locations in 2009 and are suffering from financial difficulties.
“At that time, Seoul City and Jongno Office promised to support us once we moved to the designated locations. But they haven’t received any support, and behind the main streets, the business of most street vendors was destroyed. The same thing will happen to street vendors here, too,” he said.
Street vendors will pay necessary taxes, if the ward office legalizes their business in the street, which is the best solution, he said.
Regarding the street vendors, many foreign visitors said street stalls are part of the Insadong culture, which makes the atmosphere more interesting and appealing.
“It’s fun to see all these different street vendors here. I don’t have any problem with them. They don’t harass me or anything.” Chris Hotsworth from the U.S. said, who visited the street with his family. “I think it’s part of Insadong culture.”
Citizens’ right to walk
But the ward office is firm on its plan, claiming pedestrians’ right to have a pleasant walk on less congested streets should be the first priority.
“Such stalls are all illegal in principle. Visit here during weekend, you can’t walk easily due to many street vendors blocking the way,” said Kim Oh-hyeon, an official from the office. “We initially planned to move all 78 stalls here to the new sites, but now decided to move only 24 stalls, considering the condition and request of the stallholders. I think they also need to make a compromise.”
Relocating street vendors is also important in order to keep shops from displaying their goods outside. “Without the relocation of street vendors, we can’t regulate shops when they illegally occupy the pedestrian area, either,” he said.
Regarding the physical clash, which give visitors a bad impression of Korea, Kim said it is an inevitable part of the enforcement of law.
“We’re trying to minimize physical clashes, but some of the street vendors are the cause as many people here show sympathy to the stallholders, but we will act the boundary of the law,” he said.
The ward office is handing out leaflets to visitors to explain the necessity of the relocation of the street vendors, in four different languages.
Last Thursday, both sides called for a truce after the brutal clash ahead of the upcoming meeting between representatives of street vendors and the head of the ward office.
The peace may be short-lived as both parties are unlikely to narrow their differences on the relocation plan. Rather the conflict may escalate as the deadline of the relocation is set for June 15.
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/profile.php?id=100001418267150
FIGHT gentrification!
STOP the social cleansing!!
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