CINA

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Impressions from yesterday's Memorial for the Victims of the Yongsan Massacre:

Related articles:
☞ NewsCham Report
☞ VoP Report

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Well, the plan to "redevelop" (i.e. to demolish!) Pimatgol isn't new... But contrary to the present situation, almost five years ago there has been a fierce resistance against the then planned "redevelopment" excess.
Here you can read a leaflet (directed especially to "foreigners" and tourists in Seoul), written five years ago by resisting tenants and ETU-MB (the predecessor organization of MTU) activists:

THE DEMANDS OF ACTIVISTS WHO ARE DEFENDING THEIR BASIS OF EXISTENCE IN CENTRAL SEOUL/CHEONGJIN-DONG

1. Tenants have lost their rights and are now fighting against the Chief of Jongno-gu (District) Office who has illegally allowed the removal of their homes without offering any alternative.

2. We are fighting to restore our right to exist and denounce the Jongno-gu Government Office Chief for destroying 600 years of traditional Korean history.

3. We are encamped in protest against having been evicted, without any redress, by the Jongno-gu Government Office. We denounce the construction company. We are fighting for a place to live.

4. We are shopkeepers and restaurant carriers. We are encamped in protest to struggle to restore our right to stay in and protect the traditional Pi Mat Gol area from destruction.

5. Cheongjin area no 6, a part of Jongno-gu, tenants are encamped in a struggle to restore our right to exist.

The Back ground

Since several years we knew about plans to "develop" the area between Jong-no and Jongno-gu Office. Here the Le Meilleur Construction Co. wants to build a huge sky scraper, just for expensive shops, restaurants, exclusive apartments for to sell, private clinics and for financial business.
But this plan will destroy the basis of existence of hundreds of families here, who are/were living and working here partly since generations.
Because of the fact that, if the plan will be reality, we'll lose everything, from the beginning we were opposing that plans.

Last year in a mysterious "accident" several buildings, located directly on Jong-no (avenue), were nearly complete destroyed (eyewitnesses said it was looking like someone was throwing a hand grenade in the shop, or a car was just crashing inside).
Just some days later the remaining houses were tearing down and instead a so called huge model house (a model part for the to-build sky scraper) was erected.
Later piece for piece the tenants of the houses/shops witch were located behind the buildings (witch were destroyed in the beginning) were driven out, sometimes by using violence. For that the construction company is hiring hundreds of criminal gangs to drive the people out off their homes/work places. Often the gangs are backed by large units of the infamous riot cops to manage their "job".

On November 5 ETU-MB (the migrant workers' trade union) reported: "Yesterday 10:35 in the morning about 100 criminal gangsters, hired by the not less criminal Le Meilleur Construction (LMC) Co., district government officers backed by riot cops raided Cheongjin-dong area in Jongno-gu (district). The people who carried on the restaurant (when you come from Kyobo B/D on the left side on Jong-no, opposite of LG 25 “super” market) were forced to leave. With this criminal act LMC destroyed the basis of existence for some families. But not just that, they robed the activists who defend their homes their office, because it was located in the second floor of the building."

Now since 29 days we are in a daily 24 hours sit-in strike in front of Jongno-gu Office to protest against the using of terror against us. We are no criminals - we just are defending our basis of existence! And we are not only fighting ourselves – we are fighting also for our neighbors and at least for the future of the center of our city.

The history of PiMatGol

Since hundreds of years Jong-no was the main avenue in the Korean capital. But all the “ordinary” people who were walking there, every time when some one from the nearby king palace (Gyeongbok-gung) were passing the street, all the “ordinary” people had to bow on the street until the person went. So 600 years ago the people started to build the narrow lanes behind the first line of buildings located on Jong-no to avoid bowing once per hour. So in fact PiMatGol is a result of a kind of resistance against the rulers.
Nowadays' motto of Jongno-gu Office: “Human, natural…” – it’s just a bad joke. Especially when you see the English web site, where they just make advertisement with the great history, what they already planned to destroy.

The Alternative Housing Defense Committee

(Nat'l Federation Against House Demolition)
Jongno-gu, Cheongjin 6-dong
2004.12.2

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MTU's contribution to the "Forum on Gender/Racial Discrimination in S.Korea" , held last month(8.26) in Seoul:

A brief overview on the discrimination of migrant workers

1. The incident that happened in Bucheon last July(*) was not an isolated case of
misunderstanding between a foreigner and a local. In fact, migrant workers have
often been on the receiving end of verbal assaults, racial slurs, and even violence
on a daily basis.
This incident caused quite a stir in the community both foreign and local and has
even attracted the attention of local and foreign media. It has been given an adequate amount of coverage. Professor Banajit Hussain because of his South Asian ethnicity, being dark-skinned, he was mistaken for a migrant worker not only by theperpetrator but even by the police as well.
The incident involving the professor and his companion achieved one thing in
particular, and that is to expose the day to day challenges of the migrant worker. The migrant workers come from different corners of the globe, having varied race and ethnicity, having different religious and cultural backgrounds and about one third of the migrant population are women. The migrant workers are always regarded as poor, un.educated, and vulnerable and thus, it is an undeniable fact that one hundred percent of the migrant workers have fallen victim to racial and sexual discrimination at some point in their lives.
The incident of racial discrimination against Professor Hussain is nothing compared to what we, as migrant workers face in our daily lives. Professor Hussain's case was given attention because of the fact that his standing or class in the Korean society is perceived to be of higher importance and thus, require much clamor.
The fact of the matter is, migrant workers have been suffering from racial and sexual discrimination even before they have laid foot on Korean soil.

2. The discrimination under the EPS Law:
Although migrant workers are better off under the current EPS law in comparison to the trainee system, the migrant workers continue to suffer under the new system as they had suffered under the old. Despite claims of equal labor rights for migrant workers, the EPS Law has failed to secure the migrants position in society in terms of job security. It has also failed to protect them from abuse and unequal treatment because of their race, ethnicity and social standing in the society. The EPS Law aims to ensure the stability of the labor force for the company through restrictions such as the limitation on workplace changes, the time limit on which a worker would need to find a new company, the allowable reasons for which a migrant worker can ask for termination of contract, the restriction on migrant workers eligibility to invite their family members and the restriction on the migrant workers eligibility to apply for citizenship. There are also restrictions that limit the involvement of migrants in activities that may be deemed as political in nature.
These restrictions only show that migrant workers because of their social standing are treated as disposable and temporary. This considerably reflects the racial and social discrimination against migrant workers who are comparably likened to machines or beasts of burden.
Even before the migrant worker comes to Korea, it is mandatory for an applicant to undergo pregnancy tests (women) and AIDS test (both men and women) as a
requirement for qualification to work in this country. In more progressive nations,
these mandatory tests are considered sexual discrimination on the assumption that pregnant women can never be productive and are a burden to the host country.
Labeling AIDS victims are a threat to society and disregarding their rights to privacy is also sexually discriminatory. Being minorities, their social and human rights are often negated by the provision of restrictions and conditions for employment.

The Crackdown on undocumented migrant workers and their criminalization is the
most evident example of racial discrimination. This marginalized group in society
has suffered numerous deaths, injuries, abuse, violence, financial ruin and extreme psychological stress.
Aside from the crackdown being unconstitutional under the Korean law, it also
shows blatant disregard of the migrant workers human rights.

3. Undocumented workers having less protection from abuse, suffer as much as the EPS workers, if not more so. Although, they are not subjected to the restrictions of the EPS Law, undocumented migrant workers have less mobility.
Because undocumented migrant workers are criminalized in Korea the government agencies offer no protection to migrant workers against verbal, sexual and physical abuse. Undocumented migrant workers who have tried to seek for police intervention/support, or have tried to report incidences of violence against their person would find themselves arrested and detained by the immigration instead of being given justice for the transgression that they have fallen victim to.

Migrant workers in the workplace:
Accommodations for workers are usually within the company premises to assure
that there will be readily available workers on hand to meet production
requirements and quotas. Typically, these dwellings do not meet the standards to
assure that it is well suited to protect their health and comfort. Container boxes
measuring an average of 9sqm would typically house two or three persons. These boxes usually are not well ventilated during the summer and insufficiently heated during the cold months. There is also a problem with cleanliness, insect and vermin infestation, filthy toilets, inconsiderate managers and noisy co.workers that holds no regard whatsoever to the people who have worked the opposite shift and are resting during the day.
Incidences of migrant workers having finished working 13 hour shifts would be
allowed to sleep for 2 or three hours before they will be forced to work overtime.
Threats such as dismissal and deportation have always been common, there have also been numerous incidences of physical violence and verbal abuse, pay.cuts have also been reported. Thus, under these threats, migrant workers are forced to render service at the expense of their health and safety.
Social imbalance is also evident in the workplace among native workers and
migrants. The managers and/or the native workers would slap, swear at, and punch migrant workers in jest but the managers/native workers would consider it
confrontational if the migrant worker initiated the same act.
The native worker may refuse to render overtime, he or she may even refuse to do a delegated task but the migrant worker would often be forced to accept these additional workload and should never refuse.

4. Citing these examples, the sub-human treatment of migrant workers, their disregard for their health and safety, their obvious disregard for the rights of the workers are evidence that racial discrimination is a part of the migrant workers life. Since they have “imported” them as workers, the utilization of their services should be maximized.
Religious and cultural differences are also areas of concern in the life of a migrant worker. An aversion to a particular type of food or certain religious practices has also been a source of conflict and/or abuse. Forcing migrant workers to go against their culture and religious beliefs are factors that cause undue stress and resentment on the side of the migrant workers.
Gender-based discrimination on migrant workers in the work place is also common. Age and marital status being factors, the migrant workers personal life seems to be an extension of his work relations. Managers and native workers would give unsolicited advices regarding different personal issues like sexual preferences, marriage to Koreans (women migrants) and gays or lesbians being non.existent in Korea. Under the guise of extended family relationship existing between migrants and Koreans these unsolicited advices are also discriminatory in nature. Under the assumption that migrants are not capable of making the right decision and choices, they (Koreans) feel it is necessary to give them (migrants) guidance regarding these issues.
Migrant women also being objectified in and out of the workplace are usually prone to unwelcome sexual advances. Their regard for migrant women as more sexually active and aggressive than Korean women is a blatant form of discrimination against women. Sexual harassment and violence are also common in the workplace but  migrant women fail to report these incidences out of shame and fear of losing their legal status and job security.

5. Discrimination outside of the workplace:
Discrimination outside of the workplace is varied in intensity. Subtle actions such as unwanted stares, their aversion to sit beside a migrant worker and direct insult as what the good professor has been subjected to.
Their aversion to migrant workers is rooted on the fact that since migrant workers
are laborers they immediately assume that migrant workers are un-educated, of low intelligence, lacked sophistication, dirty, stinky, rude and loud.
A poor command of the Korean language has also been a means for Korean vultures to take advantage of the migrant workers inability to argue. Migrant workers are usually taken advantage of by unscrupulous taxi drivers by overcharging, taking long routes and harassing women migrant workers.
The discrimination against migrant workers are not exclusive to Koreans it is also
evident among foreign expats who are living in Korea. These expats’ reference to
migrant workers as "smelly, dirty and rude migrant workers" and "these things"
shows that even educated foreigners, assumingly exposed to diversity and had a
higher degree of education would see and refer to migrant workers as sub-human or not human at all.

6. Conclusion
Racism and xenophobia is largely apparent in Korea and in the Korean psyche. Even their laws, under the guise of nationalism are exclusive designed to protect native Koreans and put limitations on the rights of migrants.
The immigration law and the EPS law was made to marginalize the migrant workers, and in that sense very discriminatory. In limiting their ability to freely move about in the pursuit of a better life and better status, the migrant workers are left in a dilemma. They can either chose to live under constant oppression or fight for their right, but in the process risk losing their documentation and their job security.
These incidents reflect how receptive the Korean society is on the idea of
multi-culturalism. Their ambitious dream of establishing a multi-national,
multi-cultural society will remain as it is… a dream. As long as there is no legislation that would properly enforce the criminalization on all forms of discrimination, these despicable acts of abuse and violence will continue to happen and will in fact, worsen in the in the light of the current economic crisis.
In my perspective, to achieve a truly global nation we should take down borders, we should break down barriers and we should accept the fact that life and people come in a variety of race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion and culture. If this fact was not accepted, Peace will remain to be elusive. 

* For more about the "incident" please read:

☞ Indian Accuses Korean of Racial Discrimination (K. Times, 8.03)

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Following piece (well, it's NOT satire!!) is from last week's Daily NK:

Jazz and Rock Music Killed Socialism!

 
In a recent Rodong Shinmun editorial, the North Korean authorities heavily criticized the former socialist countries of the Eastern Bloc and placed extra emphasis on ideological education for the young.

The mouthpiece publication of the ruling Workers’ Party, Rodong Shinmun claimed, “Those who were corrupted first by the wind of renovation and reform in the former socialist countries were the young. They led the way to socialism’s collapse.”

It criticized them harshly for their interests, “These youths were on the cutting edge, spreading the ideology and culture of the imperialists. They enjoyed western books and movies, which are full of decadence, and hung around listening to jazz and rock.”

At that time, according to the Rodong Shinmun report, many youths quit school to earn money, left home and headed for capitalist countries, and only cared about high-paying jobs. These trends promoted the destruction of the socialist economies.

Rodong Shinmun harshly criticized the rulers of the Eastern Bloc for their poor governance, “Such former socialist countries did not value youth education highly, so the ideology and spirit of the young went astray, and thus they were not able to bring about socialist achievements or stick to the socialist way.”

It stressed repeatedly, “Those who harbored the illusion of capitalism defected to western countries, betraying their fatherlands. Thereafter, their economies went bankrupt and riots broke out.”

However, it said, “Socialism will win when our young follow Kim Jong Il’s military-first revolutionary leadership.”

Turning to propaganda, the editorial continued, “There are young people in all countries, but there are none happier than ours, who are taking part in the revolution, blessed with happiness and faith under the care of the Great Leader, Party and fatherland.”...

http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk01700&num=5396

Related contribution:
☞ North Korean Media Calls for Vigiliance Against Jazz (10.12)

PS:
In (fascist/national-"socialist") Germany between 1933 and 1945 Jazz was also banned as well as all the other "Degenerate Art" in music, painting, literature, cinema, theater and architecture!

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More than twenty Nepali migrant workers arrested in S. Korea...

New wave of crackdown on migrant workers

planned for October and November

   
S. Korean immigration has detained in the last days more than 20 Nepali workers along with other  migrant workers for "overstaying their visas", the Nepalese newspaper Nagarik Daily reported last Saturday(9.12).

Some of them have already been deported to Nepal, while others are being detained at immigration detention centre.

The S.K. immigration had issued a public notice on September 2 urging the "illegal immigrants" to voluntarily return home within September saying it would launch a massive crackdown on un-documented migrant workers in October and November.

Un-documented migrants are terrified as the crackdown came earlier than they expected. Many Nepalis are taking refuge at religious and labour shelters. Some of them have even quit their jobs due to the fear of being detained.

Most of the so-called "illegal" migrant workers were detained from their residences and public places. The arrested also included several pregnant and ill women!

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"용산참사 해결하라"

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This is Pimatgol, the narrow, tradition-steeped alleyway that runs east-west alongside Jongno (between Jongmyo Park and Kyobo B/D) in downtown Seoul(*). But like many other areas in central Seoul Pimatgol’s days are numbered, "thanks" to the ongoing "redevelopment" excess!

* More detailed infos about Pimatgol (history, the struggle against the "redevelopment" etc.) you'll get in the next week!

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The conservative (or rather reactionary!!) daily newspaper JoongAng Ilbo and the "left"-liberal Hankyoreh published today pieces on the current situation in the KCTU...

Editorial by JoongAng Ilbo:

Chaos within KCTU

The labor union of Ssangyong Motors has confirmed its intent to leave the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the second largest umbrella trade union in the country.

An overwhelming majority of the company’s workers voted for a resolution yesterday to withdraw from the national trade organization.

In the process, the union became the first of Korea’s automobile unions to officially vow to sever relations with the powerful KCTU.

Industrial trade unions have shown some signs of pending collapse in recent years, and this is the latest example of that trend.

There’s a primary reason behind it: The KCTU has focused its efforts on waging a political war rather than promoting the protection of workers’ rights and interests.

So the erosion of the organization’s member base should be expected, as union members don’t feel that their needs are being met.

At the same time, it is extremely deplorable that the KCTU is bullying members that are poised to withdraw from the organization, hoping to coerce them into staying. Along these lines, the umbrella trade union is resorting to immature actions, such as threatening to impose disciplinary measures on unions and members considering a defection.

The KCTU should ponder the essence of the problem - its own actions, rather than that of its members - before browbeating other labor unions. The current crisis facing the umbrella trade union derives from the fact that it is stocked with leaders who espouse left-leaning political ideologies.

If the organization continues to ignore this rapidly growing crisis and continues to overlook changes in public opinion, it will certainly lead to self-destruction.

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2909835

Editorial by Hankyoreh:

Heeding potential death knell for labor movement

The Ssangyong Motors labor union convened a general assembly meeting yesterday and voted to leave the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). This vote comes just one month after a compromise was struck between union and management, and follows a fierce battle waged over mass layoffs. First, we must guard against focusing on the hard line of the KCTU during the Ssangyong Motors strike, for it would only serve to highlight labor’s problems while obscuring mistakes made by the company and government, which cannot avoid taking responsibility for driving the Ssangyong strike to an extreme. If fault is found with the union’s hard-line, then criticism for the company’s and government’s refusal to compromise must also follow.

Although labor and management previously worked together to save the company through their dramatic compromise, since the strike, the situation has taken a completely different direction. Just two days after the compromise, 94 unionists who participated in the strike were laid off or given vacation notices. It has been said that union leaders are being blocked from entering the factory. Yesterday’s general assembly took place with the union leadership in virtual collapse. With the existing union leadership raising procedural issues concerning the vote, controversy surrounding the validity of the decision is expected.

Still, to overlook the importance of this decision that had the support of many unionists would be a mistake. We must seriously consider the significance of their decision. The leaders of the general assembly claim the only way to save Ssangyong Motors is to leave the KCTU. They believe Ssangyong Motors has been caught in a political struggle led by the KCTU and Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU).

Criticisms have also been voiced towards KCTU and Korean Metal Workers’ Union for completely different reasons. Criticism that the umbrella unions failed to help resolve the situation or properly support the workers’ struggle is being heard among those who actively participated in the Ssangyong strike or supported it. In addition, there is also criticism that the umbrella union has been on the sidelines as a spectator since the end of the strike. The background stories and reasons may differ, but the criticisms are all similar in their reflection of distrust of the umbrella union.

Accordingly, labor leadership should seriously reflect upon why it is on the receiving end of distrust and criticism from unionists who participate in the labor struggle. Of course, the umbrella union must consider not only the issues of individual workplaces, but also issues being raised throughout the labor sector. Since labor issues closely relate to politics and the economy, a political response is also required. The basis of the labor movement lies in the trust and support of unionists. Labor must ruminate over the fact that a labor movement marked by distrust from laborers is as good as dead.

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_editorial/375764.html

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In the following interview with the German (bourgeois) magazine Der Spiegel(9.07), veteran antiwar/civil rights activist Tom Hayden(*) speaks about the coming 'storm of protest' over the war in Afghanistan, growing disillusionment among the U.S. left and the current re-evaluation of whether it is truly a 'necessary war.'

'We Won't Fight for Frankenstein in Kabul'

Spiegel: NATO air strikes called in by German commanders have reportedly killed dozens of civilians in Afghanistan. Do you think this will generate more support for your antiwar movement?

Tom Hayden: This incident will cause even greater opposition in Germany, where 70 percent of the population is already opposed to the fighting in Afghanistan. NATO's policy is unsustainable -- but the drive to escalate and to not appear to be losing is very powerful among politicians, including German ones. But our protest movement is becoming more vocal day-by-day, above all in the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany. I spoke in Berlin and Heidelberg during the Iraq war, and I expect to be back.

Spiegel: As a veteran of the protests against the Vietnam War, you know a lot about public resistance, and now you're promising a "storm of protest" against the US war in Afghanistan. What will that entail?

Hayden: The emotion that people are feeling is deep disappointment over the Afghanistan policy of Barack Obama and the US Congress, which now registers as a surprising 70 percent disapproval rate for the war among Democrats. Doubt will turn into dissent; it will manifest in congressional districts. The Democrats will find it hard to ignore their base. The slightest loss of support from the 2008 antiwar base will be very threatening to their electoral success.

Spiegel: How many activists have you succeeded in mobilizing so far?

Hayden: Change moves slowly, except when it moves very rapidly. A few traditionalists will march on Predator (drone) launch sites or on the White House gates. But this is deeper; it's about people expressing deep disillusionment after so much euphoria over Obama's election a short time ago.

Spiegel: Why is this disillusionment already so deep?

Hayden: Obama is caught between the social movements that made his presidency possible, including the anti-Iraq-war movement, and the Machiavellians, who are accustomed to running everything with little or no interference from the voters.

Spiegel: You seem to be saying that Obama should be careful about taking the support of the left for granted. How are you planning to remind him of that?

Hayden: We are currently organizing in about 75 congressional districts, where people still hope the president listens. The dissent in 75 districts will turn into 150 and keep growing when next year's request for war funding is presented in January. At this point, we have a unique situation in which huge numbers of people want Obama and the Democrats to succeed domestically -- but will not be silent about the war.

Spiegel: There is much more debate now about the objectives of the mission in Afghanistan.

Hayden: It is growing on its own, partly as a continuation of the antiwar consciousness that arose during the (George W.) Bush years. American casualty rates are higher than ever because of the fighting in southern Afghanistan, in Kandahar and Helmand. August was the deadliest month ever for US troops (in Afghanistan).

Spiegel: Still, the president might decide to send even more troops.

Hayden: The generals can't stop themselves from wanting more troops. That is happening even though it is now clear that we are fighting for a kind of Frankenstein client in Kabul -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai -- whom we created ourselves.

Spiegel: Prominent voices on the right, including columnist George Will, have now joined the chorus of people calling for a withdrawal. Does that help your protest movement?

Hayden: George Will seems to want the "white man's burden" continued by men with darker skin. His proposal to keep killing from offshore makes no sense, but it begins to rattle the Republican bloc. More important is the fact that Richard Haass, the head of the Council on Foreign Relations, has written in the New York Times that Afghanistan is not a "necessary war," thereby challenging the premise of the Democrats.

Spiegel: It's also the premise of President Obama, who uses that phrase often.

Hayden: I believe the "necessity" in question has been a political necessity among Democrats who fear being perceived as soft on terrorism.

Spiegel: As a veteran of the anti-Vietnam War protests, do you see parallels to the current debate on Afghanistan?

Hayden: In both cases, the US has profoundly underestimated the force of nationalism, seeing everything in terms of communism then and terrorism now. Escalation was always chosen in order to not lose.

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,647324,00.html

Related article:
☞ Afghan war reaches a tipping point  (Asia Times, 9.09)

* Tom Hayden, 69, is one of the most famous antiwar activists in the United States. In the 1960s, Hayden was active in the civil rights movement and a leading organizer of the protests against the Vietnam War. He attracted global attention when he and his future wife, actress Jane Fonda, travelled to North Vietnam and Cambodia during the war.