403개의 게시물을 찾았습니다.
Today's ('left'-liberal) Hankyoreh published the following (funny??) piece:
"Labor solidarity"
Heads of South Korea’s two main umbrella unions, Kim Young-hoon of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), left, and Lee Yong-deuk of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) shake hands and smile after issuing a joint statement at the Press Center in Seoul, April 25. They called on the Lee Myung-bak administration to change its corporate-oriented labor policy and the new “oppressive” Trade Union Act that went into effect in July last year. They also vowed to stage an all-out fight against the ruling party, including a campaign to vote against the ruling Grand National Party candidates in the by-elections on Wednesday if their demands are not met.
This marks the first time the two umbrella unions, representing South Korea’s labor bloc, cooperated on political issues to publicly denounce the administration together, although they have kept pace with each other on some labor policy issues. The joint statement well reflects their sense of crisis after the controversial revision of Trade Union Act by Lee administration. The law calls for the implementation of the multiple union system and ban on wage payments to full-time unionists.
“The number of full-time unionists in workplaces with less than 300 workers decreased by 25 percent after the revision,” FKTU President Lee said. “The unions in the small and medium size companies have been neutralized because of full-time unionist’s reduction.”
80 percent of the unions under the FKTU are those in the small and medium size companies.
The Lee administration has communicated and compromised only with the FKTU on major labor issues, while excluding the KCTU, perceived as more aggressive. However, the FKTU changed its line as labor circumstances have rapidly deteriorated.
PS: Only three years ago KFTU supported MB's election campaign!!!(^^)
Campaign appearance, Dec. 2007: Lee Myung-bak(aka '2MB') and Lee Yong-deuk(KFTU)
Related article:
☞ Umbrella unions join forces (Korea Herald, 4.25)
Well, even the 'closest friend' of Seoul's ruling class (and its gov't) is zinging the current situation of the human rights in S. Korea (according to today's K. Times):
Discrimination against minorities persists in Korea
South Korea still discriminates against minorities and foreigners, the U.S. State Department said in its 2010 country report on human rights.
Citing a National Human Rights Commission report, the U.S. human rights report said there were six cases of alleged discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons last year.
“There are no specific laws punishing or providing compensation to victims of discrimination or violence against LGBT persons,” it said. “Societal discrimination against LGBT persons have persisted.”
In June the Constitutional Court heard arguments on the constitutionality of the military code of conduct prohibiting consensual homosexual relationships between military personnel.
At the year’s end the court had not issued a ruling, it said.
“Some observers claimed that persons with HIV/AIDS suffered from societal discrimination and a social stigma,” the report said.
The country has long prided itself on its racial homogeneity, but its growing ethnic minority population passed the 1.2 million mark midway through last year.
In cases of discrimination against ethnic minorities, it cited an incident where a man with a mental disability killed his foreign bride, which later led to a swift government crackdown on illegal matchmaking agencies.
It also said North Korean refugees, although supported by government-funded resettlement programs, “faced discrimination.”
Restrictions on Internet
It said that there were no reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, but considered 35 suicides among military personnel as a problem.
It said that 13 of them were allegedly caused by hazing, mistreatment, or an inability to adjust to military life in the first six month of service.
Regarding freedom of speech and the press, the country received a favorable evaluation in the report.
“The law provides for freedom of speech and of the press, and the government generally respected these rights in practice,” the report said.
It added that an independent press, an effective judiciary, and a functioning democratic political system combined to ensure freedom of speech and of the press.
But it said, “there were some government restrictions on access to the Internet and reports that the government monitored e-mail and Internet chat rooms.”
The government blocked violent, sexually explicit, and gambling-oriented websites and required operators to rate their site as harmful or not to youth, based on telecommunications laws that ban Internet service providers from offering information to young age groups, the report said...
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/04/117_84929.html
Today's ('left'-liberal) Hankyoreh published the following 'editorial':
DNA collection to intimidate unions
It has emerged that prosecutors have been collecting DNA samples from workers convicted of engaging in strikes and other activities. The practice, which currently targets workers who took part in a Ssangyong Motor strike and occupation of Daelim Motor, has reportedly been taking place at district prosecutor’s offices across the country since March. Not only does this have strong elements of a human rights violation, but it is an immoderate application of the law that could potentially curtail labor movement activity. It should be immediately halted.
The legal basis for collecting DNA is the Act on the Use and Protection of DNA Identification, the so-called “DNA Act.” Enacted in July 2010, this act allows the collection and storage of DNA from suspects in eleven cases of crime, including child molestation, rape, and drug crimes, in order to allow for efficient investigation of habitual and heinous crimes. The scope of those subjected to DNA collection also includes suspects in acts of violence, home invasion, and property damage as stipulated in the Punishment of Violence, etc. Act. The attitude of the prosecutors is that with this basis, there is no problem whatsoever with collecting DNA from striking workers punished under the latter act.
However, this is a farfetched application of the law, and in addition to containing elements of human rights infringements, it is also an abuse of public authority. First and foremost, taking samples from striking workers is extremely problematic in that it equates them with the perpetrators of heinous crimes. Strikes are both the core of the basic labor rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the most powerful means of protecting a worker’s survival rights. It is also necessarily expressed through collective action.
Even if it is unavoidable to hold workers responsible for physical clashes that occur during that process(*), it is unacceptable to treat them as though they were habitual and shameless criminals. This cannot be seen as anything but contempt for workers and their rights. Around 150 workers were convicted on the basis of the Punishment of Violences, etc. Act for the Ssangyong strike. Does this mean that every one of them is a heinous criminal?
There is a strong chance that the sample collection will lead to negative effects such as weakening of the labor movement through its psychological cowing of workers. If people whose criminal punishment is complete are treated as potential offenders and forced to submit DNA, there may be grounds for raising the fundamental human rights issue of double jeopardy.
Even if one sympathizes with the need for the DNA law, the scope of its application cannot be made excessively large. There needs to be a full reexamination of the individuals subject to this law’s application and the method of its implementation. Before then, prosecutors must end their collection of DNA from striking workers.
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_editorial/471831.html
* Well, once again The Hankyoreh is (somehow) supporting the stance of the ruling class!!!
The S. Korean 'left' is - once again - trying to combine their forces to fight back the conservatives' advance and the planned foundation of a so-called "New Popular Progressive Party"(새진보정당) is the latest whack to create a unified organisation...
Yesterday's Hankyoreh reported about the actual state of affairs:
NPP-DLP merger thwarted by independence wing
Though NPP members remain divided, labor union and civic organization members have urged the parties to merge
The brakes have been thrown on the movement toward a progressive political party merger. At a New Progressive Party (NPP) regular party convention at the National Assembly Visitor Center on Mar. 27, delegates passed a “2011 motion to modify the comprehensive plan of action” submitted by an independent wing that is against a merger with the Democratic Labor Party (DLP).
The passed revision includes two important clauses. One states, “The New Progressive Party opposes North Korea’s nuclear development and dynastic succession,” which was changed from the sentence that reads, “The New Progressive Party adheres to its critical view of North Korea’s nuclear development and dynastic succession.” The other clause was, “To build a progressive political party with factions in agreement if the new progressive political party is not formed until Sept. 2011.”
The two clauses are expected to be difficult for the DLP to accept. As a result, observers said the convention was a complete victory by the independent wing in response to the proposed merger. The independent wing seemed to prevail, having a 6 to 4 ratio of support.
There has been a fierce war of nerves waged within the New Progressive Party between the independence and merger wings as well as neutralists regarding the merger discussions. At last month’s national committee meeting, the independence wing made up 45 percent of the party, 35 percent were in favor of merging with the DLP, and 20 percent were neutral. There were also complex signs of conflict within the merger wing between those who favor a grand merger involving the People’s Participation Party (PPP) and parts of the Democratic Party, and those who favor a smaller merger involving just the DLP and the Socialist Party. Some are calling for a merger with the Socialist Party to pursue an independent line if the merger with the DLP does not work out.
Of the current and former party leaders, former NPP Chairwoman Shim Sang-jung supports a grand merger with the People’s Participation Party, while Cho and former Chairman Roh Hoe-chan reportedly support a smaller merger. Roh is a likely candidate to chair the party committee to push the merger.
The move was also considered a major blow to the New Progressive Party (NPP) leadership, who have become supportive of a merger as rising pressure from labor groups and civic society has also urged the two parties to merge.
NPP leader Cho Seung-soo, who has been considered part of the “independent party” wing, said in a letter sent before the convention, “The NPP has failed to reconstitute progressivism, the idea advocated when the party was founded.” Calling for active efforts to unify with the DLP, Cho said, “If the discussion regarding the founding of a new progressive political party cannot be brought to a conclusion now, there is a high possibility that the NPP could find itself caught in a state of severe powerlessness.”
Cho reportedly confirmed a consensus for merging during a recent closed-door meeting with DLP Chairwoman Lee Jung-hee. Deputy Chair Yoon Nan-sil, who was also counted with the “independent party” wing, has also changed position and is accelerating her pro-merger political activities.
A variable is external political movements, however. “Civic Society for the Welfare State and a Broad Progressive Merger,” made up of figures from civic organizations and academia, and recently even labor figures have been making louder calls for merger. Five former heads of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), including Kwon Yong-kil, Dan Byung-ho, Lee Su-ho, Cho Jun-ho and Lim Sung-kyu released a statement on Mar. 21 saying there was a need for a unified term that would make clear the goal of building a new progressive political party that seeks quantitative and qualitative progress, rather than the term “grand progressive merger,” which highlights only the quantitative increase. The former union heads said they would work to build a new progressive party. Within the KCTU, individual trade unions are reportedly preparing a declaration seeking membership as preliminary members of the new progressive political party.
In order to remove barriers to a merger, the DLP has also displayed some humility. One such example was the way in which the DLP leadership, including Chairwoman Lee, Supreme Council member Kim Sung-jin and Ulsan chapter branch head Kim Chang-hyeon, reflected openly through official party meetings and debate statements upon hegemony within the party, the past reason for the division of the party.
Kim said at a debate put on by the DLP’s New Community Institute, “I regretfully acknowledge that monopolization of party power through collusion was a fundamental reason for the split.”
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/470239.html
Related articles:
☞ New Progressives Add to NK Criticisms (DailyNK, 3.28)
☞ 새진보정당 연석회의, 6월말까지 구체 합의 이루기로 (NewsCham, 3.29)
THE INTERNATIONALISTS (Internationalist Communist Tendency) issued last Friday(2.25) the following "appeal to the international working class launched to assist the 8 accused members of the Socialist Workers League of S. Korea...":
Appeal for South Korean Internationalists
The judge sentenced as follows:
1. Oh Se-cheol, Yang Hyo-sik, Yang Joon-seok and Choi Young-ik: imprisonment of 1 1/2 years, but conditional delay of imprisonment for 3 years for violation of National Security Law, and a fine of 500,000 won ($500)each for violation of Assembly-Demonstration Law.
2. Park Joon-seon, Jeong Won-hyun, Nam-goong Won and Oh Min-gyu: imprisonment of 1 year, but conditional delay of imprisonment for 2 years for violation of National Security Law, and fine of 500,000 won each for violation of Assembly-Demonstration Law.
The meaning of the decision is as follows:
1. The SWLK (Socialist Workers League of South Korea) is judged to be an organization for propaganda and agitation for national disturbances, violating Article 7 of the National Security Law. It shows the political nature of Korean judicial branch, which is a part of state apparatus serving for the capitalist class.
2. The conditional delay of imprisonment can be recognized as the result of Korean and international protest movement. The conditional respite for 3 years means that the imprisonment is suspended for 3 years on the condition of that there will be no other sentence for another crime, and after 3 years the validity of imprisonment sentence expires. But if there is another sentence during the next 3 years, imprisonment from this sentence will follow independently of any imprisonment for further convictions. So, the conditional respite of imprisonment is only a bit better than immediate imprisonment.
3. We, the 8 accused will appeal this sentence to the high court.
We will live and act confidently as revolutionary socialists without regard to the political oppression of the Korean state apparatus.
Thank you to all socialists and workers in the world who supported the judicial struggle of Korean socialists.
Please transmit our gratitude to the comrades of the world...
http://www.leftcom.org/en/articles/2011-02-25/appeal-for-korean-internationalists
Related report by Amnesty International(2.24):
☞ Eight South Koreans convicted for breaching National Security Law
PS: Related previous contributions you'll find here and here!
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