CINA

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KCTU organized for yesterday(8.18) the latest National Workers' Struggle Day to support the E.Land/New Core workers in particular and the struggle of the masses of "irregular" workers (at least 8,000,000 in S.K.!!) in general.

In Seoul at least 3000 activists joined the rallies in different areas (here in front of Seoul Stn.).

All across S. Korea nearly 10,000 people took the streets to join the Struggle Day.. (*)

Meanwhile the int'l solidarity with their struggle is increasing:

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns E.Land management and Korean Government for their actions against shop workers

The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns the behaviour of Korean retailer E.Land and the country's government in connection with the ongoing labour conflict. The authoritative commission, which consists of highly respected judges, lawyers and academics from different Asian countries, point at reports by 'various professors and lawyers which say that E.Land has falsified documents to avoid having to regularise its non-regular workers, such as required by a new law. The government ignored the falsifications, and clamped down on the workers instead.

E.Land falsified documents

- According to the fact-finding report carried out by a various professors and lawyers regarding the workers' rights 12 July 2007, it is reported that E-Land has falsified employment documents with individual workers so that their contracts would not have to be transformed into a regular basis. The report says that E-Land management has forced irregular employees to sign up under other people's names after having worked for a year in the company's stores, the Human Rights Commission says.

 - Also the workers were forced to sign for the contract without describing exact contract period, such as 'blank contract' (without filling out the period of contract) which is obviously illegal. Therefore, they are deprived of the chance to qualify for a regular contract after two years of employment, as provided by the new labour law.

The Government ignored E.Land's falsifications

The AHRC which is headed by a former Indian High Court Judge heavily criticises the Korean authorities for their handling of the conflict:

- ... the government did not investigate those illegal acts by the company and has failed to settle the disputes and instead has ignited them by forcibly cracking down on the workers' protest, the Asian judges, lawyers and academics say.

AHRC confirm the trade union view on how events unfolded

AHRC's description of the events fully confirms the views of the Korean trade unions and their international organisations, such as UNI. We quote the report:

- According to the information we have received, due to a new labour law stating that irregular workers would automatically be granted regular status if they worked for a company for more than two years, a company called 'New Core Outlet' dismissed about 300 irregular workers before the law came into force and another company called 'Homever' dismissed at about 500 irregular workers after the law was enacted. Both are subsidiary companies of E-Land Group. Most dismissed workers were women, supermarket and department store cashiers and sales assistant workers of the company under the Group with very insecure employment conditions. After the mass dismissal, the E-Land Group substituted them with employees outsourced from temporary employment agencies.

- Since 1 July 2007, the labour union at the E-land Group continued their sit-in protest at 'New Core Outlet' department store complex in central Seoul and 'Homever' in World Cup Stadium in Seoul until 20 July against the mass dismissal of irregular workers. The strike at the 'Homever' lasted for 21 days and the strike at the 'New Core Outlet' continued for 14 days.

- On Friday July 20, more than 7,000 policemen broke down reconstructed barriers set up by the striking workers and moved in to forcibly remove the striking workers from the store. The police took 169 protestors from the two companies to several police stations and they were released. Some workers were injured in the 30 minutes during this process. Only 9 days after the demonstration was broken up, members of the union once again started a sit-in protest at 'New Core Outlet' in Seoul, on July 29. The government sent its riot police again to crack down on the protesters from 'New Core outlet'.

- Now, three core members of E-Land trade union, the president named KIM Kyung-Wook (37), the vice president Mr. LEE Nam-Sin and general secretary Mrs. LEE Kyung-Oak were arrested on charges of organising an illegal strike when riot police stormed picketing protestors. Moreover, other E-Land unionists are allegedly threatened to be arrested and huge individual compensation claims have been filed by the employer for business interference and losses incurred by the sit-in strikes.

source:  uni global union (8.15)

* Related:

☞ 이랜드 전국 11개 매장 18일 매출은 0원 (VoP, incl. video)

☞ 18일 '이랜드 투쟁승리' 전국노동자 대회 (OhmyNews)

☞ [8월 18일]이랜드 규탄 전국노동자대회  (다함께, pics)

☞ `Police Abuse E-Land Strikers' Rights' (K. Times)

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Related articles:

☞ 고용허가제는 “편협한 인종주의에서 비롯” (Chamsesang..)

☞ 고용허가제 3년, "자축하기엔 너무한" (..8.17)

☞ “이주노동자에게 불법체류 선택 강요” (8.16)

☞ 사람대접 받으며 살고 있습니까? (8.13)

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E.Land/New Core Struggle - the latest (f.. disgusting) news:

E.Land (capitalists) locks out store strikers (i.e. unionized workers)

[JoongAng Ilbo, 8.15] 

 
Besieged by angry strikers attempting to stage sit-ins, retail giant E.Land yesterday decided to impose a lockout on unionists at six of its stores.
Following the lockout, the latest maneuver in a bitter one-and-a-half month battle over the issue of fired non-regular workers, E.Land union members will be prohibited from entering the stores by law. Workers attempting to obstruct operations will be subject to arrest.

 
Under a lockout, an employer prevents unionists from working in an effort to gain a better bargaining position in labor negotiations.

 
An E.Land spokesman, Hwang Woo-il, said the company submitted an application yesterday for a lockout to the Ministry of Labor and the National Labor Relations Commission. The measure took effect at 3 p.m. at the Gangnam branch of New Core department store in southern Seoul. The lockout will also be enforced on five more New Core outlets in Incheon, Bundang and Ilsan. The six stores will continue normal operations, permitting access for shoppers and non-union employees..

 
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2879294

Related:

☞ E.Land locks out shop workers.. (UNI)

☞ [8월 15일] 이랜드 투쟁 3차 점거 시도    (pics about the latest struggle day)

The latest info/struggle paper by New Core Labour Union/뉴코아노동조합:

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About the latest devastating disaster in the DPRK (aka N. Korea), caused by one of the "Workers' Paradise's" main enemies (beside the US Imperialism!!!) - THE WEATHER, KCNA reported y'day:

Huge Damage by Torrential Rain (*)

The torrential rain that hit the DPRK from August 7 has persisted, causing huge human and material damage.

Pyeongyang (8.12), almost drowned in the Daedong-gang..

According to the preliminary information available from different parts of the country as of August 12, the torrential rain left hundreds of persons dead or missing and destroyed more than 30,000 houses for over 63,300 families or rendered them inundated.

It also left tens of thousands of hectares of farmland inundated, buried under silt and washed away. The heavy rain destroyed at least 800 public buildings, over 540 bridges, 70 sections of railroads and at least 1,100 vehicles.. 

The torrential rain struck Kangwon Province, claiming huge casualties and completely or partly destroying houses for more than 20,000 families or leaving them inundated.

The heavy rain that hit North Hwanghae Province all of a sudden destroyed houses for more than 3,400 families, left at least 9,160 houses inundated and more than 13,000 hectares of farmland inundated, buried under silt and washed away.

In South Hamgyong Province houses for more than 8,000 families were completely destroyed or inundated and over 9,000 hectares of farmland were inundated, buried under silt and washed away.

The torrential rain also hit South Phyongan Province, causing river and stream dikes to collapse. This left a large area of farmland inundated and washed away and destroyed houses and public buildings, roads and railways.

Pyongyang and South Hwanghae Province were also hit hard by the torrential rain.

The material damage so far is estimated to be very big. This unceasing heavy rain destroyed the nation's major railways, roads and bridges, suspended power supply and cut off the communications network.

http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2007/200708/news08/14.htm#11

 P.Y., 8.12 (source of the pics: N.K. Central TV)

Related articles:

☞ Hundreds dead.. from week-long heavy rain in N. Korea (Yonhap, 8.14)

☞ North Korea's Rainfall Damage Is Serious (DailyNK)

☞ N Korea floods 'kill hundreds' (al-Jazeera)

☞ DPRK Hit by Unceasing Torrential Rain (KCNA)

* 수백명이 사망,행방불명 63,300여세대가 파괴,침수
 
 
(평양 8월 13일발 조선중앙통신)조선에서 7일부터 련일 내리는 무더기비로 하여 많은 인적, 물질적피해가 발생하였다.

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8.11, The Latest Struggle Day Against

E.Land/New Core Capitalists

Source: All Together(다함께)

Related:

☞ 이랜드.. 투쟁..

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As scheduled by KCTU after the latest crackdown against the E.Land/New Core Strike ("The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions/KCTU, an umbrella labor organization to which E-Land unionists belong, held an emergency meeting and decided to stage concurrent strikes at E-Land stores across the nation on August 5, August 11 and August 19 to support the E-Land workers", Hankyoreh, 8.01) yesterday the latest day of organized boycott against E.Land/New Core outlets took place and hundreds of labour activists participated.

8.11, Seoul and Incheon

Related reports:

☞ 이랜드규탄 민주노총 5차 총력투쟁 전개.. (P. Times, incl. video)

☞ [8월 11일] 뉴코아 강남점 매출 '0' 투쟁  (pictures, 다함께)

☞ 뉴코아 강남점 앞 경찰 폭력 (노동의..)

☞ 11일 밤 이랜드 자본 사수대 경찰 폭력테러 관련 기사 옮김 (..소리)

8.11, Seoul, New Core Gangnam outlet: Riot Cops' Attack..

Updated (8.13): 

☞ Korean unions step up their 'Zero-sales struggle'.. (UNI)

☞ 이랜드 일반노조, 현재 밤샘 마포서 항의연좌 진행중! (노동의소리)

☞ "경찰이 여성 조합원 성추행 했다" (VoP, incl. video)

8.11, Incheon/Guwol-dong

 

The latest info/struggle paper by New Core Labour Union/뉴코아노동조합:

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Well, one day after the announcement of the coming Inter-Korean Summit (8.28~30) in Pyeongyang the S.K. media published the first analyses/editorials/opinions (Actually, as you possibly assume, I've my own opinion about that stuff. But I've to sort my thoughts.. Perhaps after the coming weekend you can read it here..). Following just a small collection of today's contributions in S. K.'s (from the reactionary to the so-called "progressive") newspapers:

☞ Why Kim Jong-il is Meeting a Lame-Duck President (Chosun..)

☞ Timing of Inter-Korean Summit Raises Eyebrows (..Ilbo)

☞ Summit of folly (JoongAng Ilbo)

☞ ..North-South Summit Talks - What is Kim Jong Il's Strategy? (DailyNK)

☞ Will summit resurrect embattled liberals? (K. Herald)

☞ What can be expected of the upcoming North-South summit? (Hankyoreh)

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Today in the morning (CET) the Korean news surprised me a little bit:

Yonhap:
Two Koreas agree to hold summit in Pyongyang Aug. 28-30..

President Roh Moo-hyun will visit Pyongyang Aug. 28-30 to hold a summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, Roh's office Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement Wednesday.

   "The two Koreas have agreed to hold a summit in Pyongyang Aug. 28-30. For the summit, Roh will remain in the North Korean capital for three days," said the statement.

   "The second inter-Korean summit is expected to contribute to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. The talks will also provide momentum to settle the North Korean nuclear problem," it said.

   The statement noted that Kim Man-bok, chief of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), visited North Korea twice earlier this month to fine-tune details of the summit and that the agreement was finalized on Aug. 5.

   The South Korean government will soon establish panels to prepare the agenda of the Roh-Kim talks, he added.

   The Koreas held their first-ever summit in June 2000 between then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and North Korean leader Kim, leading to rapprochement and reconciliation. But North and South Korea are still technically in a state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

   In this regard, the statement, read by Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung, the NIS chief and Baek Jong-chun, chief presidential secretary for foreign and security policy in a joint news conference, said the two Koreas' leaders will hold serious discussions on establishing a permanent peace regime on the peninsula.

 
  "The two leaders' discussions on a Korean Peninsula peace treaty will help widen bilateral military trust and further upgrade mutual economic cooperation and exchanges," said the statement.

   Regarding inter-Korean contacts leading to the summit agreement, it revealed that the North sent an invitation on July 29 to the South, asking NIS chief Kim to secretly visit Pyongyang on Aug. 2-3. "Since then, the NIS chief again traveled to the North on Aug. 4-5 and signed the summit agreement at the end of his second visit. In the first contact, the North said its leader Kim has long wished to meet with Roh and the most opportune timing has finally come."
In a separate question-and-answer session with the media, Unification Minister Lee said the agenda of the upcoming summit will be determined through further two-way contacts.

   "Establishment of a Korean Peninsula peace regime would be discussed, but it is too early to comment on details of the issue," said the minister.

KCNA:
North-South Agreement on Visit of President Roh Moo Hyun to Pyongyang Released

The following north-south agreement on the visit of President Roh Moo Hyun to Pyongyang was released: 
   
President Roh Moo Hyun will visit Pyongyang from August 28 to 30 under an agreement between Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Roh Moo Hyun, president of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 로무현대통령/*).
The meeting between the top leaders of the north and the south will be of weighty significance in opening a new phase of peace on the Korean Peninsula, co-prosperity of the nation and national reunification by expanding and developing the inter-Korean relations onto a higher stage in accordance with the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and in the spirit of "By our nation itself".
Both sides agreed to hold a contact for making arrangements for the summit meeting in Kaesong as early as possible..

http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2007/200708/news08/08.htm#1

Related articles:

☞ Two Koreas to Hold Summit (AP)

☞ The Koreas talk of talking again (A. Times)

☞ Will Leaders Institutionalize Korean Peace? (Korea..)

☞ Kim Jong-il Feels Insecure in South (..Times)

☞ Summit could spur peace talks (K. Herald)

☞ Main opposition party opposes inter-Korean summit talks (Yonhap)

* But on today's KCNA site, just three news later, the S. Korean gov't is labeled as it's called usually in the DPRK: '..the present "government"..' ^^

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"Londoners (and of course their guests) can see the finest examples of modern artwork from Democratic (??/^^) Korea at an exhibition in the heart of the capital. Works by north Korean People's Artists can be viewed for the first time in Britain..", london communists (^^) announced July, 31.

Artists, Arts and Culture

of North Korea

Cool Hunting wrote two weeks ago, just a day after the opening ceremony:

It's not often that the flag of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.) flies over London's Pall Mall, a few hundred yards from Trafalgar Square, but it was this week during a rare exhibit of North Korean artwork from the isolated nation's "people's artists," a select group that numbers less than a dozen. One attendee of the opening, which featured North Korean diplomats and their wives, described the scene: "There were loads of people, it was really packed. The embassy was there and some old (British) hanger-on Communists (*)—you know the type, with their bad-fitting cheap suits and beards—they were being a bit weird and annoying people."

The artwork itself, all from the famed Mansudae studio, ranges from original propaganda posters (unsigned), ceramics, pastoral landscapes and "jewel" art—a form of painting made from crushed minerals that are bountiful in the mountainous Korean peninsula. Over two years in the making, the show is a chance to get a peek at a rich culture, including top North Korean artists Jong Chang Mo, Son U Yong and Hwang In Je...

http://www.coolhunting.com/archives/2007/07/artists_art_and.php

* ..Exhibition of Art Works from the DPRK (RCPB/ML)

Related:

☞ Trendy London Welcomes North Korean Art (A. Times, 8.01)

Artists, Arts and Culture of the D.P.R.K. runs at La Galleria, 5b Pall Mall, London SW1Y 4UY, until September 2.
(La Galleria is in Pall Mall, at the entrance of the Royal Opera Arcade, one of the earliest arcades in London and just minutes away from Trafalgar Square and the West End.)