CINA

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The following piece was published in today's Hankyoreh...
And if we're clever, we can use the subject to stop the entire "redevelopment" project in Myeong-dong (at least for a while) untill we're able to enunciate our objection/demands to achieve a "redevelopment law", which is not AGAINST THE ['ordinary'] PEOPLE!

Myeongdong Cathedral forced to suspend redevelopment project

Academics recognize the area under the construction site as a ‘minefield of relics’

A suspension was called in the Myeongdong Cathedral redevelopment effort embarked upon last month by the Catholic Diocese of Seoul. The diocese continued with the project in spite of concerns from the academic community.

The debate over the justification for the move is being replayed after construction was halted due to the discovery two weeks ago of a late Yi Dynasty brick drainage pipe at the construction site for the cathedral’s northern parking facility.

Despite a Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) decision to have a full excavation, the construction company used excavators on Oct. 29 and 31 to illegally dig the area, including the site of the tennis courts and hill behind what was formerly the bishop’s house. The construction was only halted after a civic group lodged an accusation with police against the diocese and company.

The situation now sees a Catholic order accused of violating the Cultural Properties Protection Act.

The drainage pipe that was unearthed is thought to be a rare relic showing the change from Joseon (Chosun)-era manual engineering technology to modern British-style technology. Since only a portion was found protruding, a full excavation is very likely to turn up other relics from life in the late Yi era.

The CHA and academic community expressed consternation at the illegal excavation of the area by the order without any experts present even after the discovery of such an important relic.

At a press conference Wednesday morning at the cathedral’s main gate, the Korea Cultural Heritage Policy Research Institute and other civic organizations said, “We cannot contain our astonishment at the illegal actions of the diocese, which put up a fence on a public holiday and dug up a site where cultural heritage is buried.”

The groups called for a provisional designation of the entire cathedral area as a national historic site and the formation of a cultural heritage investigation committee.

CHA said, “It is impossible to comprehend their performing construction work illegally without an expert present.”

“For now, we plan to extend the excavation period by about 70 days and conducted a close survey of the area where the relic was found,” the administration added.

The Diocese of Seoul has kept quiet.

In a telephone interview Wednesday, its public relations department said, “We have no established official position.”

Observers within the order are saying signs have been detected that the leadership plans to quickly go ahead with the scheduled construction effort in spite of whatever objections might come from outside. The argument is that the diocese is feeling the push to quickly resolve the longstanding redevelopment issue, including the building of a diocese complex, ahead of the retirement of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, which is scheduled to take place early next year.

A religious official said, “My understanding is that reporters with religious news organs like the Catholic Times were forbidden to write articles about the discovery.”

“There are a lot of indignant people out there,” the official added.

At the moment, the diocese management bureau’s construction office is in charge of the effort, but Bishop Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, the Auxiliary Bishop of Seoul, and secretary Father Ahn Byeong-cheol are known to be the main figures giving directions at the scene.

The area around the Myeongdong Cathedral main gate has been recognized by academics as a “minefield of relics.” It includes the sites of houses of the faithful during the age of persecution in the early 19th century, as well as remains from the diocese’s missionary era early in the late Yi period. Diocese officials agreed that further excavation would likely turn up a large number of buried artifacts from the early 19th century or major relics dating to the Gyeongseong Diocese days of the late Yi period and Japanese occupation.

Observers also said the preservation conflict with the academic sector and civic organizations is certain to intensify.

In a celebratory address at the groundbreaking ceremony for the redevelopment on Oct. 16, Cardinal Cheong said the effort “is intended to create a society filled with peace and justice... through the church communicating more actively with the world.”

Observers, however, contend that reality is on a path in the opposite direction of his hopes.

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/503807.html

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While comrade Kim Jin-suk y'day "celebrated"(??) her 300th sit-in struggle day...

...on crane no. 85 in Busan's HHIC shipyard, the Hankyoreh demanded that's...

Time to end the HHIC standoff

It was early in the morning on Jan. 6 when Kim Jin-suk ascended Crane No. 85 at Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction‘s Yeongdo shipyard in Busan. From a precarious position 35 meters in the air, the Direction Committee member from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ Busan office took a stand with all her strength to call upon HHIC to withdraw its unjust layoff plans. She persevered through an unusually harsh winter and the following spring and summer into the fall. Yesterday, she marked the 300th day of her aerial protest. Now the cold winds of another harsh winter lie in wait before her.

Those 300 days provide an indication of how inhuman South Korea’s pariah capitalism is, how greatly labor is disregarded here, and how firm the alliance of interests is among the Lee Myung-bak administration, corporations, and the conservative media. A National Assembly hearing has clearly shown that HHIC’s layoffs are essentially an abuse and a far cry from the “urgent economic necessity” claimed by the company. For this reason, ruling and opposition party members of the National Assembly‘s Environment and Labor Committee unanimously established a recommendation on Oct. 7, one that HHIC Chairman Cho Nam-ho was obliged to accept.

But in labor-management negotiations since Oct. 11, the company has rejected union demands for acknowledgement of the layoff period in the workers’ term of service, the recalculation of severance pay, and the payment of school expenses. Instead, it has stubbornly insisted on a written apology from Kim Jin-suk. Interest from the mainstream politicians who once raged about the HHIC situation and salvos against Cho from the conservative press have already long since quietly disappeared.

But Kim’s 300 days also provide an object lesson about what kind of struggle and solidarity is needed if the values of humanity and labor are to be restored. The five Hope Bus Campaigns that have traveled to Busan since June have given a clear sense of the power of solidarity and hope for a world where workers are respected, one without unjust terminations and irregular employment. They were expression of the righteous anger of the 99% toward the rapaciousness of the 1%. Since the HHIC layoff matter has not yet been resolved, a sixth Hope Bus Campaign will be making its way to Busan on Nov. 26 for the National Workers’ Rally.

The solution to the HHIC situation is obvious: Cho Nam-ho, who already accepted the recommendation, needs to take real responsibility and negotiate with the union. The National Labor Relations Commission and the Ministry of Employment and Labor also need to actively mediate the negotiations to ensure that the spirit of the National Assembly’s recommendation is upheld, and the union needs to show a willingness to compromise. Let’s help Kim Jin-suk come down from the crane. It is against civility toward humanity and labor to allow her to spend another winter there.

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_editorial/503618.html

Related articles:
☞ 6차희망버스 11월26~27일 부산 갑니다! (KCTU, 11.01)
☞ 달이 빛나는 밤, 김진숙의 청춘 이야기 (NewsCham, 11.02)
☞ 김진숙 크레인 농성, 야만의 세상과 소통한 300일 (NewsCham, 11.01)

For more info, please check out: ☞ JINSUK_85 !

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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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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
 

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

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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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 last Friday's solidarity night (it took place in Myeong-dong "redevelopment" zone, in and in front of "Cinema Hof") to support the struggle of the female Hyundai Motors workers, who were sexual harassed on their workplace and later fired, after they brought their case to court:

More pictures you can see here: [10.14] Solidarity Night in Myeong-dong... (facebook)!

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Like in "about 1000 cities in 80 countries"(Spiegel Online, 10.15) also in Seoul protest rallies and demonstrations took place to support the "Occupy Wall Street/Occupy Together" movement. But unfortunately only 500 activists (300 in Yeouido under the motto "Occupy Yeouido" and 200 in front of Seoul Stn./dountown Seoul under the motto "Occupy Seoul"), later in the evening both groups gathered in front of Daehan-mun/Deoksu Palace for a final rally) joined the events...

 
While the participants of the Yeouido rally only demanded a "fairer" (capitalist) system without "greed and corruption" (but the system based on greed, resp. maximization of profits, and corruption^^) the protesters in downtown Seoul (the rally/demo ended in Myeong-dong's "redevelopment" zone) demanded finally "Smash Capitalism!".

What else? The (conservative/reactionary) newspaper JoongAng Ilbo already wrote on the same day "...police said that most of the groups participating in the Occupy Seoul rally are aggressive leftist groups..."(*). And so it was only "natural"(^^), that they - activists of several street vendors' organisations, disabled and homeless people, activists who are resisting the forced eviction(out of their homes and/or places of work), "irregular" workers etc... - demanded "Another system without discrimination, exploitation and oppression"!

Here some impressions from the "Occupy Seoul" rally/demonstration:

More pictures from the "Occupy Seoul" rally/demo you can see here: [10.15] "Occupy Seoul" (impressions) (facebook)!

* JoongAng Ilbo's entire crap you can read here: Seoul gets two ‘occupy’ rallies today!
 

Related articles/reports:
☞ S. Koreans hold 'Occupy Wall Street' protest in Seoul (Yonhap, 10.15)
☞ “여의도를 점령하라. 우리는 99%다” (Hankyoreh, 10.15)
☞ "돈이 사람을 잡아먹는다... 99%여, 서울을 점령하라!" (OMN, 10.15)
☞ 99%의 서울 점령, “자본주의는 고장났다” (NewsCham, 10.16)
☞ 'Occupy Together' 우천속 서울 곳곳에서 열려 (VoP, 10.16)
☞ Fiery Occupy Seoul peacefully fizzles out (Korea Herald, 10.16)