CINA

본문

본문

Yesterday(4.27): One of the three 'top stories' published by the bourgeois...

Some 200 migrant workers staged a protest in central Seoul, Sunday, calling on the government to give them more labor rights.

A protest rally on May Day would have been more symbolic, but the migrant workers, who are largely from Southeast Asia, "had to do it today because they can't take the day off like most Korean workers do," said Udaya Rai, leader of the Migrants' Trade Union (MTU), an organization which is not recognized by the government, despite its 10 years of existence...(the full article you can read here/Korean report, incl. some pics you'll get here)

KCTU reported(the Korean version you'll get here) y'day the following:

Migrant workers, who cannot take day off on Mayday staged an early May-day Rally. Migrants’ Trade Union(MTU) and many other migrants organizations hosted <Migrant Workers Mayday> in Jong-gak, Seoul  on April 26. 

“Regardless of nationality, migrant workers in Korea will be united under the banner of trade union. Korean government should stop repression of migrant workers and review their policy on migration.” UdayaRai, President of MTU said. 

Choe Jong-jin, first vice president of KCTU delivered solidarity message. “KCTU successfully organised a general strike on April 24 and will continue the struggle for decent life for all. Today we are here together to celebrate the May day in advance and we have to organize our colleagues at workplaces in a struggle for labour rights, human rights and decent life for all migrant workers.”

Participants took a moment of silence to pray for Nepal and extend wishes for safe rescue and recovery, receiving the shocking and heartbreak news of earthquake. 

After the rally, MTU members took the streets in central Seoul...

...and later held... 

...an event celebrating the 10th anniversary of the union’s establishment.

본문

"KCTU said some 70 percent of its members will join the strike...", Korea Observer reported last Wednesday(4.22). On the day before KCTU reported that "1000 civil society organizations" declared that they're ready to join/support the 'General Strike'...(NO COMMENT!)

Anyway, here just a few impressions, depicting the central struggle rally/demo in downtown Seoul[Korean reports, incl. lots of pics, about the strike in other parts of S. Korea you'll get here(Daegu), here(Gyeongnam-do/Changwon City, Busan, Ulsan), here(Gyeongju, Pohang, Gumi) and here(Cheonan City/Chungcheongnam-do)]...

본문

Ten years ago(more info you'll get here)...

But MTU is now waiting for 10 years to be recognized(by the S. Korean "authorities") as an legal labor union, the Hankyoreh newspaper wrote about three weeks ago(the full article you can read here)...

MTU's first representative body, elected ten years ago(2005.4.24)... But just a short while later:

one by one has been arrested and deported!

본문

Today's Korea Times "Clashes expected as labor union protest begins Friday"...

But until now everything proceeded almost peacefully, at least according to the Yonhap report, published in the late afternoon(KST):

Hundreds of thousands of unionized workers walked out of their work places Friday against the government plans to reform the pension system for public servants and introduce a more flexible labor market(here you can watch a short report by Arirang TV).

About 260,000 unionized workers joined the one-day walkout launched in 2,829 work places across the country, including 60,000 government employees and 10,000 teachers, according to the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU), an umbrella union.

No major violence was reported during the strike as of early afternoon although some clashes are expected from street rallies nationwide slated for later in the day.

The Park Geun-hye government's drive for a more flexible labor market and revision of the pension system for government employees have been resisted by unionized workers.

The government has pledged to deal sternly with the illegal strike.

Police have threatened to round up key KCTU officials on charges of business obstruction and expel civil servants who join the strike.

Here some first impressions, depicting today's strike demos/rallies(according to independent reports at least 15,000 workers joined it/here you'll get an more detailed report in Korean) in central Seoul...
 

본문

본문

본문

Saturday(4.18) morning: Gwanghwamun Gate in central Seoul, the main gate to Gyeongbok Palace, was firmly shut down since y'day afternoon...

Relatives of the victims, who were mostly students from Danwon High School in Ansan gathered on Thursday night at the Gwanghwamun Gate, where they staged an overnight rally...

“After countless attempts and struggles until the break of dawn, we are here at the Gwanghwamun Gate with a blanket,” Kim Young-oh, who lost his daughter Yu-min in the accident, said on a social networking service on Friday...(source: JoongAng Ilbo, 4.18)

Saturday(4.18) evening/night:

Related articles/reports you'll get here:
☞ 시민들과 만난 세월호 가족들 “24일 청와대로 가자” (민중의소리, 4.18)
☞ “세월호 참사, 박근혜는 퇴진하라”...광화문서 충돌 100명 연행 (참세상, 4.18)
☞ Full-Scale Police Crackdown to Suppress Sewol Protest (Rev. News, 4.18)
☞ Sewol families clash with riot police (K. Times, 4.19)
☞ Police to crack down on violent demonstrators (Yonhap, 4.19)
☞ Protesting Sewol kin end up at police station (JoongAng lbo, 4.20)

☞ Excessive violence by police at Sewol anniversary... (Hankyoreh, 4.20)

Here some more impressions, photographed by Min Kim Saturday night @Gwanghwamun...

본문

But only a couple of steps away... STATE OF EMERGENCY(!!): "Gwanghwamun Gate in central Seoul, the main gate to Gyeongbok Palace, was firmly shut down on Friday afternoon", JoongAng Ilbo reported last Sat.(the full article you can read here)...

본문

Last Thursday(4.16), the first Anniversary of "Sewol" ferry disaster: Memorial services were held in front Seoul City Hall from afternoon until late at night... 

Tens of thousands of people, supported by thousands of KCTU members, gathered to hold a candle light vigil and later they wanted to pay their respects at makeshift altars nearby Gwanghwamun(few hundred meters away from the City Hall). But they were blocked by about 10,000(according to the reactionary/bourgeois Chosun Ilbo, 4.17) riot cops...

...and later, despite the rally/demo was complete peacefully, the cops went wild cracy...

Related articles you'll get here:
☞ Sewol Anniversary Rally Faced Massive Police Repression (Rev. News, 4.16)
☞ Pres. Park frozen out by Sewol families... (Hankyoreh, 4.17)
☞ Clampdown against Sewol ferry anniversary protest an insult to the victims (AI, 4.17)

Here just some more impressions, photographed by Min Kim last Thursday night in central Seoul...