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UNI Global Union is one of several global unions who are writing to Korea’s President Park Guen-hye demanding an end the violence, and full respect for trade union rights.

UNI urges all its affiliates and partners to sign the Labour Start petition calling on President Park to stop the attacks now.

Join the petition here

Labour Start Petition on Korea:

“The administration of President Park Guen-hye of Korea has repeatedly sought to weaken the rights of workers and their unions since taking office in 2013, including mobilizing police to disrupt protests and to arrest trade union leaders. The ILO has on several occasions condemned the government of Korea for its serious violations of the right to freedom of association and to bargain collectively. Most recently, police raided the offices of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and its affiliates on 21 November, and seized documents, equipment and computers. Several workers were arrested and a warrant has been issued for the President of the KCTU, Han, Sang-Gyun.

This raid follows the unions' participation in a rally on 14 November to protest, among other things, a proposed package of labour law reforms meant to seriously undermine the rights of workers and their trade unions. The labour reforms pushed by the government would reduce payment for overtime work on days off, would permit temporary agency work in basic manufacturing (which has been illegal to date) and would lower the level of unemployment compensation for workers in low-wage short-term jobs. Most recently, President Park invoked the threat of international terrorism to denounce protest leaders, suggesting that terrorists could take advantage of protests to launch attacks.”

Detailed background from UNI APRO’s Korea office

“Assaults on Korean people including unions and journalists must be stopped.”  

“The Korean Government’s harsh repression of unions, freedom of association and freedom of speech reached new heights with the violent crackdown of the 130,000 strong Peoples’ Rally in Kwanghwamoon Seoul on November 14 which left many injured. A 68 year old farmer was hit by water cannon, containing pepper spray and is now in a coma. Media covering the rally were also the victims of the water cannon and were hurt and had their equipment damaged. On November 18, NUMW and journalists organizations held a press conference and demanded to have a meeting with Mr. Kang Shin-Myong, Commissioner General of the National Police Agency to demand that there would be no repeat of the repression of journalists in the future.

The demonstrators were there to protest at the government’s labour reform which promotes the spread of precarious work, gives employers the right to dismiss workers without reason and introduces a wage peak system for senior workers to reduce the labor cost.

Farm workers also took part in the Rally to show their opposition to the government’s failed agricultural products pricing policy. Students were out in force to demonstrate against government plans to introduce a single certified history text book which will block democratic thought and diverse opinion in the country.

Despite fierce public criticism of the police for over-reacting at the rally, the police authorities failed to apologize, rather they stepped up their actions on November 21 and deployed a force of 2500 around the headquarters of the KCTU as well as 10 of its affiliates such as metal, construction workers unions.

Labour experts say the police are intent on delegitimizing the KCTU as a violent organisation in the eyes of the public rather than what it is in fact: the voice of legitimate workers’ rights

KCTU president,Han Sang-Kyun  escaped to the Jogyesa Temple, in downtown Seoul where he asked the Temple leadership to arrange a mediation mechanism between the union and the government over the current conflict.   

Today President Park Geun-Hye said that any protestors wearing masks will be treated as terrorists similar to IS and plans to legislate to prohibit the wearing of masks. This statement shocked the public people. One Democratic Party member said that President Park had in effect threatened the public directly.

The Labor & Environment Committee of the National Assembly are in dispute about whether to pass the Labor Reform Bill submitted by the Employment & Labor Ministry. The Opposition Party members and the Ruling Party members confronted each other in the debate and postponed the passing of the Bill.  The bill contains toxic provisions to expand the scope for dispatching agency workers such as, airline pilots, nurses, journalists and many other skilled professionals who are directly involved in the safety of the lives of public.

Bro. Kim Dong-Man, president of FKTU, said at a press conference on November 20, “ If the government proceeds with this Bill  which is contradictory to the originally agreed context, FKTU will immediately withdraw from the Tripartite Committee and prepare for the great scale of counter fight against the government, in particular for the General Election in April 2016.

These kinds of threats currently imposed upon the Korean unions and social movement should not be ignored by the international community.”

                              Jay Choi UNI-APRO Korea Desk Coordinator

                              November 24, 2015