Two days ago KCTU in Busan celebrated this year's "Int'l Workers' Day" with a massive struggle rally...
But the cops(PIGS!) in Busan decided to "celebrate" the date in their own - very specific(^^) - way...
Related article:
☞ Police, activists clash over statue for forced labor victims (Yonhap, 5.01)
Photos by Cheong Nam-joon
Yesterday's "Int'l Workers' Day" in S. Korea: The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU) staged a massive rally in downtown Seoul, calling for greater efforts to enhance workers' rights...
Under the slogan, "Let's create a new labor environment in the South Korean society," the KCTU highlighted a series of union demands, such as an end to unfair layoffs, the same wage for the same work, and the elimination of workplace sexual abuses and discrimination against migrant workers...
"We make a declaration for the S. Korean society where the right to work is guaranteed for all," Kim Myoung-hwan, the KCTU chief, told a gathering of some 10,000 people at Seoul Plaza...
Prior the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union, the Korean Teachers and Educational Workers' Union and other groups held their own rallies/demos.
Here you'll get KCTU's detailed report(in Korean), incl. lots of pics. And here you'll get today's Hankyoreh photo report(in English).
Related articles in Korean:
☞ “재벌 개혁하고 비정규직 없는 세상으로” ‘노동자의 봄’ 꿈꾸는 사람들 (민중의소리, 5.01)
☞ 128주년 세계노동절, “새로 쓰는 노동…재벌개혁, 비정규직 철폐로” (참세상, 5.01)
☞ 대구 2천여 명 노동절 집회…“모든 노동자의 노동기본권 쟁취하자” (뉴스민, 5.01)
Last Sunday(4.29) afternoon in central Seoul: About 300 Migrant workers(mainly MTU members) staged a rally(*), two days ahead of May Day...
...to call for South Korea to abolish the "Employment Permit System"(EPS). Additional they damanded the following...
At the same time they promoted MTU's upcoming "Migrant Workers Struggle Tour Bus"campaign, called “TuTu Bus Action”...
(*) Here you'll get a detailed report in Korean.
During this momentous period of historical transformation on the Korean Peninsula, reflecting the enduring aspiration of the Korean people for peace, prosperity and unification, President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea held an Inter-Korean Summit Meeting at the ‘Peace House' at Panmunjeom on April 27, 2018.
The two leaders solemnly declared before the 80 million Korean people and the whole world that there will be no more war on the Korean Peninsula and thus a new era of peace has begun.
The two leaders, sharing the firm commitment to bring a swift end to the Cold War relic of longstanding division and confrontation, to boldly approach a new era of national reconciliation, peace and prosperity, and to improve and cultivate inter-Korean relations in a more active manner, declared at this historic site of Panmunjeom as follows :
1. South and North Korea will reconnect the blood relations of the people and bring forward the future of co-prosperity and unification led by Koreans by facilitating comprehensive and groundbreaking advancement in inter-Korean relations. Improving and cultivating inter-Korean relations is the prevalent desire of the whole nation and the urgent calling of the times that cannot be held back any further.
① South and North Korea affirmed the principle of determining the destiny of the Korean nation on their own accord and agreed to bring forth the watershed moment for the improvement of inter-Korean relations by fully implementing all existing agreements and declarations adopted between the two sides thus far.
② South and North Korea agreed to hold dialogue and negotiations in various fields including at high level, and to take active measures for the implementation of the agreements reached at the Summit.
③ South and North Korea agreed to establish a joint liaison office with resident representatives of both sides in the Gaeseong region in order to facilitate close consultation between the authorities as well as smooth exchanges and cooperation between the peoples.
④ South and North Korea agreed to encourage more active cooperation, exchanges, visits and contacts at all levels in order to rejuvenate the sense of national reconciliation and unity. Between South and North, the two sides will encourage the atmosphere of amity and cooperation by actively staging various joint events on the dates that hold special meaning for both South and North Korea, such as June 15, in which participants from all levels, including central and local governments, parliaments, political parties, and civil organizations, will be involved. On the international front, the two sides agreed to demonstrate their collective wisdom, talents, and solidarity by jointly participating in international sports events such as the 2018 Asian Games.
⑤ South and North Korea agreed to endeavor to swiftly resolve the humanitarian issues that resulted from the division of the nation, and to convene the Inter-Korean Red Cross Meeting to discuss and solve various issues including the reunion of separated families. In this vein, South and North Korea agreed to proceed with reunion programs for the separated families on the occasion of the National Liberation Day of August 15 this year.
⑥ South and North Korea agreed to actively implement the projects previously agreed in the 2007 October 4 Declaration, in order to promote balanced economic growth and co-prosperity of the nation. As a first step, the two sides agreed to adopt practical steps towards the connection and modernization of the railways and roads on the eastern transportation corridor as well as between Seoul and Sinuiju for their utilization.
2. South and North Korea will make joint efforts to alleviate the acute military tension and practically eliminate the danger of war on the Korean Peninsula. Alleviating the military tension and eliminating the danger of war is a highly significant challenge directly linked to the fate of the Korean people and also a vital task in guaranteeing their peaceful and stable lives.
① South and North Korea agreed to completely cease all hostile acts against each other in every domain, including land, air and sea, that are the source of military tension and conflict. In this vein, the two sides agreed to transform the demilitarized zone into a peace zone in a genuine sense by ceasing as of May 1 this year all hostile acts and eliminating their means, including broadcasting through loudspeakers and distribution of leaflets, in the areas along the Military Demarcation Line.
② South and North Korea agreed to devise a practical scheme to turn the areas around the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea into a maritime peace zone in order to prevent accidental military clashes and guarantee safe fishing activities.
③ South and North Korea agreed to take various military measures to ensure active mutual cooperation, exchanges, visits and contacts. The two sides agreed to hold frequent meetings between military authorities, including the Defense Ministers Meeting, in order to immediately discuss and solve military issues that arise between them. In this regard, the two sides agreed to first convene military talks at the rank of general in May.
3. South and North Korea will actively cooperate to establish a permanent and solid peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. Bringing an end to the current unnatural state of armistice and establishing a robust peace regime on the Korean Peninsula is a historical mission that must not be delayed any further.
① South and North Korea reaffirmed the Non-Aggression Agreement that precludes the use of force in any form against each other, and agreed to strictly adhere to this Agreement.
② South and North Korea agreed to carry out disarmament in a phased manner, as military tension is alleviated and substantial progress is made in military confidence-building.
③ During this year that marks the 65th anniversary of the Armistice, South and North Korea agreed to actively pursue trilateral meetings involving the two Koreas and the United States, or quadrilateral meetings involving the two Koreas, the United States and China with a view to declaring an end to the War, turning the armistice into a peace treaty, and establishing a permanent and solid peace regime.
④ South and North Korea confirmed the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. South and North Korea shared the view that the measures being initiated by North Korea are very meaningful and crucial for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and agreed to carry out their respective roles and responsibilities in this regard. South and North Korea agreed to actively seek the support and cooperation of the international community for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The two leaders agreed, through regular meetings and direct telephone conversations, to hold frequent and candid discussions on issues vital to the nation, to strengthen mutual trust and to jointly endeavor to strengthen the positive momentum towards continuous advancement of inter-Korean relations as well as peace, prosperity and unification of the Korean Peninsula.
In this context, President Moon Jae-in agreed to visit Pyongyang this fall.
April 27, 2018
Panmunjeom
President Moon Jae-in, Republic of Korea
State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, DPRK
The declaration's text in Korean you'll get here.
Related articles:
☞ Korea Summit Hype (WSJ, 4.27)
☞ Bonhomie on Korean peninsula puts pressure on bellicose Trump (Guardian, 4.27)
☞ Relations Thaw, But Questions Remain... (RFA, 4.27)
☞ Panmunjeom Declaration aims to usher in a new era of peace... (Hankyoreh, 4.28)
☞ Reasons for hope eclipse cynicism (Asia Times, 4.28)
1.) A unified Korea? (K. Herald/AP, 4.25)/Unification flags fly... (Yonhap, 4.25)
Rosy Future of Korean Nation Holding Peerlessly Great Man in High Esteem
With the approach of the north-south summit meeting and talks to be noteworthy in the history of the national reunification movement, all Koreans are full of conviction in rosy future of the nation that holds the respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un in high esteem.
The north-south summit meeting and talks are unthinkable without his rare wisdom, firm will for national reunification, broadminded magnanimity and noble compatriotism.
On the summit meeting and talks to be held thanks to the steel-strong will for reunification and broadminded and compatriotic steps of Kim Jong Un, all Koreans at home and abroad praise him as the peerlessly great man taking the helm of the history and steering the trend of the world. They are convinced that the bright future is always in store for the nation when they value and maintain the good atmosphere of the north-south relations provided by him.
Immensely rosy is the future of our nation holding Kim Jong Un, heaven-sent great man of Paektu, in high esteem.
No persistent move of the anti-reunification forces can block the Korean nation vigorously advancing along the road of independent reunification under his leadership.
Source: Rodong Sinmun(4.18)
2.) Will inter-Korean summit pave way for K-pop landing in N. Korea? (KT, 4.25)
Imperialist Idea and Culture Should Be Rejected
The ideological and cultural poisoning by the imperialists is a hideous reactionary offensive to stamp out the popular masses' consciousness of independence and undermine their faith in socialism.
The imperialists, who are keen on aggression and plunder, domination and subjugation, are afraid of the unity of the politically awakened independent people. So they are working hard to stamp out the people's consciousness of independence and estrange and divide them.
It is the truth proven by the practical experience of the Korean revolution that one can become a victor when one preserves his own ideology.
The Workers' Party of Korea gave the fullest play to revolutionary enthusiasm of the popular masses by dynamically conducting the ideological work moving all people in all the stern annals of the revolution, and thus worked epochal miracles in socialist construction. When red flags of the revolution were lowered in various countries due to the vicious moves of the imperialists against socialism, Korean socialism triumphantly advanced.
To give priority to ideology is the main key to achieving a decisive victory in the fierce showdown with the imperialists and successfully advancing and accomplishing the cause of socialism.
The man who fails to equip himself with the socialist idea is bound to be poisoned by the imperialists' reactionary idea.
It is important to set up double and treble mosquito nets in all fields of social life and resolutely reject the imperialist idea and culture.
No matter how desperately the imperialists work, they can never subdue the people firmly equipped with the socialist idea.
Source: Rodong Sinmun(4.06). [5 days earlier Kim Jong Un applauded S. Korean pop stars ^^]
KCTU's detailed report(in Korean), incl. lots of pics, you'll get here:
☞ 쌍용차 해고자 120명 복직 촉구 서울 도심 “같이 살래요” 차량 행진
Today's Yohap News Agency reported in the morning(KST) that [S. Korea's]ruling party was seen striving to turn political attention to preparations for the upcoming cross-border[4.27 Inter-Korean] summit. It[i.e. the S. Korean gov't] has designated this week as a "week of peace"...
A "week of peace"? At least not for the residents of Seongju/Soseong-ri!!
Almost at the same time(today in the morning, KST) the same news agency(Yonhap) reported the following:
Riot police were removing protesters Monday from a bridge leading to the base of the U.S. THAAD anti-missile system in southeastern South Korea, sparking clashes that left about a dozen people injured...
About 200 residents and activists have been occupying the Jinbat bridge in a sit-in aimed at blocking construction vehicles from entering the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense base in Seongju, some 300 km southeast of Seoul.
About 3,000 riot police were mobilized to break up the sit-in. Scuffles and shoving matches broke out as police moved in, and two people were taken to a hospital with injuries, while around 10 others suffered scratches.
As of 9:10 a.m., some 170 people were hauled away, and some 20-30 protesters remained in a standoff.
Protesters resisted by inserting their arms into plastic pipes in an attempt to tie themselves together to make it difficult for police to carry them away. They also chanted slogans such as "Out with violent police," blasting the police for using force...(more you can read here)
Related articles in Korean:
☞ 경찰, 병력 3천명 동원 ‘사드기지 반대 주민’ 강제해산 (한겨레, 4.23)
☞ 성주 주민 강한 반발에도 사드기지 공사장비 반입 (민중의소리, 4.23)
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