CINA

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After an Indonesian migrant worker(?) was (allegedly)arrested last Wednesday(11.18) for "alleged links to the al-Nusra Front", concerns are mounting over possible stigma faced by migrant workers. The government's strengthening crackdown on so-called "illegal" migrants may create prejudice, migrant workers and human rights activists said last week...

Yesterday in central Seoul, nearby Gwanghwamun, representatives of MTU/KCTU and activists, supporting the rights of migrant workers in S. Korea, protested against the ongoing stigmatization migrant workers in the name of the so-called "war against terror":

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S. Korea's  "Construction" Mafia at Work 

Here in Busan's newest "redevelopment" zone(photographed by Jeong Nam-joon)...

[2015.1.11] Busan(city), Buk-gu(district), Mandeok-dong(village)...

Mandeok-dong, August 2015

Mandeok-dong, about two months ago...

...and today!

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Since one week comrade Han Sang-gyun, the head of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), is hiding in the Jogye Buddhist temple in central Seoul! According to the conservative/reactionary newspaper Dong-A Ilbo(11.18), Han - the former union head of Ssangyong Motor under the Korean Metal Workers’ Union - is facing an arrest warrant for failing to appear in court four times on the charge of staging illegal protests on Labor Day this year...

Y'day he met Ven. Dobeop and asked the monk to mediate with the government concerning issues such as the peaceful hosting of a second rally and help establish a dialogue between the gov't and labor representatives...

But, it seems, that the S. Korean "authorities" already made a decision! Today's Korea Times reported that the Police will likely ban a second anti-government rally... 

...scheduled for Dec. 5(more updated info you'll get on LabourStart!)...

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Y'day(11.21) in the S. Korean capital city Seoul: Police have raided the headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) as part of an investigation into acts of violence committed during the huge anti-government rally that the umbrella union organized on Nov. 14. It was the first time that police have raided the headquarters since the confederation was established in 1995. Nearly 700 officers from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) and several police stations within central Seoul removed computers, documents, books and other material from the headquarters and offices of seven affiliated unions... An additional 1,840 officers were mobilized to the the area during the six-hour raid because another clash with unionists was anticipated...(source: Korea Times, 11.22/more related reports in English you'll get here)

One day earlier(11.20) Kyunghyang Shinmun wrote the following: The government and ruling party have revealed their intentions to create a new "authoritarian" state in the wake of the multiple terrorist attacks in Paris... The ruling party highlighted the demonstrations at Gwanghwamun, Seoul on November 14 calling them an act of violence and terror, asking the government to root out the source. As if according to prior arrangement, the police have launched a massive investigation. The ruling party is also promoting old "security" bills such as the Terrorism Prevention Act and the ban on masks... Saenuri Party leader Kim Moo-sung said at a meeting of the party's supreme council on November 19, "Just as the entire world has taken action to eradicate IS hiding behind masks, we should also root out illegal demonstrations hiding behind masks and end this vicious cycle of lawless chaos." He attacked the demonstration on November 14, comparing the demonstrators to the IS...

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During massive demonstrations on Nov. 14, to prevent demonstrators from reaching Gwanghwamun Plaza, the police fired multiple water cannons from all directions. From the onset, they aimed the high-pressure water cannons directly at the demonstrators. People who were hit by the water, which was mixed with capsaicin and coloring agents, were knocked to the ground or driven to the sides of the road as they coughed and wheezed...(the entire piece you can read here)

Clashes on Saturday occurred after the main demonstration came to an end, when participants attempted to march toward Gwanghwamun Square. The police, who had set up vehicle barriers at the four-way intersections in front of the Seoul Finance Center and in front of Jongno District Office and around Gwanghwamun Square, took steps to force the protestors to disperse, firing water mixed with capsaicin and coloring agents(about 100 related photos you can see here!!)... This was when Baek Nam-gi, 68, a farmer who had come to Seoul from Boseong, South Jeolla Province, fell down after being hit by a direct blast from a police water cannon...

Baek was transferred to Seoul National University Hospital, where he remains unconscious...(source: Hankyoreh, 11.16)