Critical Constellations -- Interlocals

I've recently become involved with a few other projects that I thought I would promote on this site. One is the Hong Kong based site, interlocals.net, a site which is attempting to connect english/non-english news on grassroots and inter-local issues in the region through original dialogues, stories and translations. It's only been up for a few months but is expanding quickly.

The other site is a blog for the institute for the study of democracy and social movements here in Seoul (where I am a visiting researcher), so far it is oriented towards promoting and circulation some of the wealth of english material produced each year by Korean academics and other intellectuals engaged with critical social movement issues. Unlike Interlocals, we're off to a slow start, but a start nonetheless, so please check us out. I've tentatively called the project critical constellations, as a mock-up description of what, to an extent, social movements are, constellations of multiple actors and expressions organized in often fluid networks, all striving to identify and inflect important social issues in a critical manner.

Enjoy.

November 15: International Solidarity

Here's the link to a call for a day of international solidarity with Korean workers organized by the Building and Wood Worker's International. This event in particular focuses on the struggles of Korean construction workers, whose union comprises both regular and irregular workers, who have faced a intense summer of harrassment and arrest, especially after the strike in Pohang in August which was covered here (you can search our August archives for more). This was also the strike in which Ha Joong Gun died from injuries inflicted by the riot police. Seems that there will be protests and pickets in front of Korean embassies world wide.

(Metal) shield to the head

FTA Protest Continue

Here's the link to a report from the Hankyoreh about the continuing protests against the FTA. Seems twelve protestors were injured yesterday. The TV news showed some protestors being hit in the head with metal shields. Seems to be the tactic of choice for Korean riot police, a tactic which has claimed three lives in the last year. We wrote about this last August, so it goes.

Sunshine and Rain

There was a isolated wind and rain storm today, in Kangwondo, Korea, a province that stretches both sides of the border and is home to two of the most scenic mountain parks in North and South: Kumgang (diamond) and Sorak (snowy crag) mountains. Coincidently, it is the Kumgang mountain tours to North Korea that the US asked the South to discontinue during Condoleeza Rice' s recent trip. Since the test the sunshine policy of Kim Dae Jung and successive regimes has come under fire a bit, and in something of a straw man type manner, I should add. In response, however, Kim Dae Jung has been out defending his policy (in many ways, the problem was not too much but too little sunshine, in my opinion). Here's a story on that from the Hankyoreh.

It was sunny down south in Jeju today, where the fourth round of Korea-US FTA talks are beginning. From this evenings television news here, it seems that 15-20 000 where out protesting, and at least several dozen tried to make it to the resort site where the conference is being held in order to protest. To do so the attempted to swim across a lagoon there, in repeat of the farmer protest in Hong Kong against the WTO last year, when 300+ Korean farmers braved the december water to make their point. I've seen no account of the swim in English as of yet but here is a quick story on the protests from monstersandcritics, and a more in depth look from the Hankyoreh.

Migrant Workers Film Festival

I should have posted on this sooner, but MWTV and other groups have a sponsored a travelling film festival this month, the MWFF. I just went to one of the Seoul nights this week, but there are still nights in Bucheon and other cities around the country this month. There is an interesting range of films here about migrant workers, and not solely in Korea but in other countries around the pacific, from Taiwan, to Canada and Malaysia. Check out their program (in english and other languages) at their website (http://www.mwff.or.kr/).

Conflict Escalating

Here's my backgrounder on what's been going with the KGEU, feel free to use it for progressive purposes... Should be up over at interlocals later today.

Labour conflict escalating in South Korea
J.Doucette

Following an ILO regional meeting in Busan, South Korea, labour relations have soured in that country over the month of September with a large government offensive against the 140,000 member Korean Government Employee’s Union, and a back door agreement with a government-friendly union selectively advancing segments of the government’s labour reform roadmap which many fear will pave the way for further expansion of irregular work on the peninsula.

Offensive against the KGEU

Over the last month the Korean government has waged an aggressive crackdown against the Korean Government Employee's Union (KGEU), forcibly closing down 121 of 251 KGEU chapter offices nationwide -- literally welding them shut with metal bars and iron plating -- and arresting, as of October 10th, over 100 members of the KGEU and other organizations in solidarity with them.

The origins of this struggle are related to the slow consolidation of public sector labour unions in the post-dictatorship era. Korea has been under continuing pressure from local and international organizations to recognize its public sector trade unions. Though many of these unions have existed for some time, the Korean government has been taking the slow road to legally recognizing them. The Korean Teacher's Union was only recognized in 1999, and there is a large ‘public servants’ union (employee's in sectors such as railroads and transportation), but the government has still to recognize Korea's large government employee's union (KGEU), which has been underground for quite sometime.

In many ways, the cause of this crisis is a constitutional matter. As Article 33 of the Korean constitution states:

Article 33 [Unions]

(1) To enhance working conditions, workers have the right to independent association, collective bargaining, and collective action.
(2) Only those public officials who are designated by law, have the right to association, collective bargaining, and collective action.
(3) The right to collective action of workers employed by important defense industries may be either restricted or denied under the conditions as prescribed by law.

As the KGEU cannot ‘legally’ exercise these rights without legal recognition, the Korean government have refused to recognize them until the union agrees to certain limitations on their rights: basically giving up the right to strike and dis-allowing what it terms ‘higher’ public officials (basically half of the KGEU’s 140,000 members) from joining the union. The union refused to agree, in principle, with the limitation of the three basic labour rights as recognized in the Korean constitution. Which seems reasonable, as the government’s offer here is on constitutionally shaky grounds. Nonetheless, the Korean governments’ response to the union in its short history have been severe.

Since it was founded in 2002, almost all KGEU public meetings, assemblies, workshops, or press conferences have become sites of police violence and, frankly, unbelievable resistance, with union members, at times, literally keeping the riot police at bay while carrying out important votes. Nonetheless, the KGEU has organized strikes and weathered the persecution, even growing in size. For its part, the Korean government has slowly ratcheted up the pressure, declaring a special law on the rights of government employees forbidding them from bargaining and taking collective action, including penal provisions for those who disobey. The law, passed in 2002, included a grace period which ended in 2006. Since then the oppression has only escalated.

Staff elections of the KGEU were blockaded in January of this year, and in February ministers from the Ministries of Justice, Government and Home Affairs, and Labour issued a joint statement and countermeasures against the KGEU which was followed in March with instructions for the voluntary withdrawal of all union members and notification of all cases of non-compliance so that legal action may be taken. Between March and September the government kept up its pressure by forcing local governments to report on the actions of KGEU members and submit the names of members involved actions.

In September, at an ILO regional meeting in Busan, South Korea, the ILO criticized the Korean government for denying public servants their basic labour rights, and delegates further denounced the intervention into the matter by the Ministry of Government and Home and Affairs and Minissty of Justice, saying that these ministries have no right to intervene in labour conflict and that collective agreements must be made by bargaining between the union and employer’s, not third parties. Nonetheless, the current crackdown against the KGEU began just days after the ILO Busan conference ended, which is ironic mostly because the Korean government had hosted the conference to showcase improvements to labour relations in the country.

Labour relations worsening

What this says about the overall conditions of labour rights and democracy on the Korean peninsula is not encouraging. September’s crackdown against the KGEU was accompanied by the signing of tripartite agreement between the government friendly (or state-corporatist) union, the Federation of Korean Industries (FKTU), business, and government. The agreement, signed without the consent or participation of the larger Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) delays important clauses on union pluralism and paves the way for expanded irregularization of employment. This makes a mockery not only of the concept of tripartite negotiation between labour, management, and government endorsed by the ILO – 2.5-ism may be a better term to describe its current Korean embodiment – it also sets a dangerous precedent for distinctively anti-democratic labour relations to come, and has thus been criticized by a wide segment of Korean civil society, including legal and constitutional experts.

The KCTU, meanwhile, has promised more strikes and industrial action against the roadmap bill and ongoing union repression in November.

2006 Copyleft

Pyeongtaek, KGEU

Looking back at some of the events from the last month here is a good collection of stories and pics on the raids against the Korean Government Employees Union (KGEU) from CINA. Kotaji also has some comments and the draft of letter of solidary from a meeting of European social movements recently gathered in Brussels.


Days in Daechuri also has its own article on the large rally against the removal of villagers in Pyeontaek that took place in front of city hall on Sept 24. They also have links to other stories on the rally as well as pics.

back at it: KGEU, Labour Roadmap, Posco workers sued

My apologies to avid readers for the lack of posts over the last month. I'm back at it now and will be ramping up the posts in the coming weeks. In case you haven't heard or read about them, there are a few big stories from the past month that need some coverage.



Attacks on the KGEU

The first is the government offensive against the Korean Government Employee's Union, a union of civil servants that doesn't agree with the limitations on their labour rights that the government is forcing them to accept in order to have legal recognition. Thus, this union is 'illegal' for the time being and is now undergoing some severe repression. It's important to mention here that it is not just the KGEU that doesn't agree with these limitations but members of the ILO as well, who have criticized the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs for their intervention in labour relations in such a way. Here's the most recent press release from the union, along with a chronology of this month's attacks on KGEU offices everywhere, attacks which are continuing. The KGEU has 140 offices nationwide, over 81 have been shut down as of Sept 23. You can also find the online campaign on the KGEU site.

Labour Relations Road Map

The other major story, and one that has flown slightly under the radar, is the tentative tripartite (really 2.5-ite) agreement between the FKTU, Business, and Government, on the labour relations road map. Basically, they have agreed to postpone the two contentious issues (trade union pluralism, and pay for full-time labour organizers) for three years -- basically this is a setback for union democracy within and between workplaces. This also means that other aspects of the bill may move forward quite quick: expansion of irregular work, etc., without full trade union participation. The FKTU has also begun campaigning for foreign investment by advertising the agreement it strung together with business and government withouth any consent or participation for the larger KCTU. 2 and half-ism seems to have replaced tripartitism, indeed. If some of the other elements of the roadmap are passed, it seems that we will be seeing more and more illegal strikes as the venues for legal trade unionism is made smaller and smaller and people struggle to protect themselves. So far the governements reaction to this has been punitive. For example, it seems that the irregular workers who struck at POSCO in August are being sued for 1.7 million (US), a move which can only lead to more violence if this money is garnished from workers private savings as it has in the past.

The KCTU is promising strikes against the legislation in November, we'll keep you posted...

houses, fta, infrequent posts

I'm out of the country right now and am not sure how much I will be able to post over the next few weeks, but, never fear, I'll manage to get some stuff if not in abbreviatted form.

At the moment, it seems the Pyeongtaek demolitions have started, here's an article in the Hankyoreh and a more first hand account from Days in Daechuri. From their post at that blog it seems that apparently there were 22,000 police on hand vs. 40 villagers. Yikes.

The FTA talks in Seattle have also been completed, not much was accomplished this round though. Here's the link to a story on that as well.

FTA Round 3: first day report

Here's a story from the Hankyoreh/Yonhap on the opening of the FTA talks in Seattle. Scenes of the protest were also broadcast on the news around Korea, so that means the story is getting quite a lot of coverage. The newscast I saw focused on how American workers and Korean farmers had marched together. There was also some fun shots of American protestors doing some protest dances with the farmers.
South Korea/US FTA talks open amid protests.

Free trade negotiators from South Korea and the United States ended the first day of talks Wednesday, sending mixed signals that they achieved "some progress" but also faced "some challenges."

Outside the negotiating venue, several hundred U.S. protesters, joined by about 60 South Koreans from Seoul, staged a peaceful rally, shouting, "Stop the FTA." There were no reports of violence.

At the negotiating table, all exchanges were serious and businesslike, both sides said.

Click view fullpost to continue reading

"Today, some meetings have made some progress. I think some other groups were facing some challenges," Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler told a group of U.S. business leaders after the meeting which lasted almost eight hours.

"I hope this meeting will be a very productive round," said Cutler who headed the U.S. delegation in Seattle. "I think we have good discussions in industrial and agricultural goods." The chief South Korean delegate, Kim Jong-hoon, said the first-day discussions did not cover rice, one of the most sensitive items on the table. Rice is the main staple of the 48.5 million South Koreans.

"Because today is the first day, the mood was good," Kim said.

"No discussions on rice was held today." South Korea is keen to protect its uncompetitive agricultural sector, including rice, while the U.S. is concerned about its less competitive textile industry.

The two sides aim to wrap up the negotiations by year's end to allow time for their lawmakers to ratify the accord before June 30, when the U.S. president's "fast track" authority runs out. The authority allows U.S. trade officials to negotiate a deal without congressional amendments.

Given a number of knotty problems lying ahead, however, it's unclear whether they will be able to meet the schedule. In Seoul on Thursday, a group of 24 lawmakers, including 14 ruling party members, filed a legal suit, questioning the constitutionality of the proposed FTA.

This week's talks, which will continue until Saturday, come amid predictions of difficulty. Two previous rounds of talks, the first in Washington and the second in Seoul, ended without much headway.

Other knotty topics on the agenda include the status of goods made in an inter-Korean industrial complex in North Korea, automobiles, textiles and South Korea's new drug-pricing policy.

The second round of talks in July ended a day earlier than scheduled, after U.S. officials pulled out, protesting South Korea's new drug-pricing policy, under which patients are reimbursed when they buy medicine approved by the government.

U.S. officials argue that the Korean system could discriminate against newly developed American medicines. South Korea has so far refused to back down.

A smaller-than-expected protest rally involving several hundred people was held two blocks north of the Museum of History and Industry in downtown Seattle where the talks were held. Organizers had predicted "thousands" would attend the ally.

"No to KORUS FTA," the protesters shouted, with some beating drums. KORUS FTA stands for the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement.

"I don't understand why our government pushes ahead with the free trade talks with the U.S., because it would be no help for our national interest," Kang Ki-gab, a South Korean opposition lawmaker, said at the rally.

Wearing South Korea's traditional cotton robe and slippers, the farmer-turned lawmaker from the labor-friendly Democratic Labor Party claimed the proposed free trade deal would only help big businesses.

U.S. protest leaders said the FTA, if implemented, will take away American jobs, because cheaper South Korean mobile phones, automobiles and other goods will flood the American market.

"America's workers have too much experience with failed agreements like NAFTA," said Thea Lee, a policy director of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, using the acronym of the North American Free Trade Agreement signed between the U.S., Canada and Mexico in 1993.

"The promises are always the same: more jobs, more investment, more economic growth. But the reality is always the same: jobs lost and greater inequality," she said.

Aehwa Kim, an official with the Korean Alliance Against the Korea-U.S. FTA, which organized the Seattle rally, said, "American workers will be just affected as well as Korean by low-paying jobs or unemployment, and the loss of benefits." After the rally, the protesters marched down the streets, making a Buddhist-style bow every three steps. About 30 bicycle-riding police officers escorted them. There were no reports of arrests.

The South Korea-U.S. free trade talks are the first sensitive trade meeting to be held in Seattle since violent protests prompted the cancelation of the opening of World Trade Organization talks in the city in 1999.

Seattle, Sept. 6 (Yonhap News)

Korea-US FTA: Round 3

Well, the third round of FTA negotiations are starting up today in Seattle. The perfect opportunity to promote the wealth of material recently put up on the Korean No to FTA site. Of particular interest is an essay by Cho Hee-Yeon of SungKongHoe University on the Korean government's 'rush to neoliberalism.'

There are also some interviews with Korean activists visiting Seattle, and some position papers on the Korea-US FTA's effects on workers. Enjoy.

Also here is an update from the Korean NOFTA group.

Korean and US activist to protest Korea-US FTA meeting in Seattle.

From September 6 to 9, 2006, in Seattle, a 60-member delegation from the Korean Alliance Against Korea-US FTA (KOA) will join hundreds of US activists to protest the 3rd round of FTA negotiations.

The week is filled with joint rallies, press conferences, marches, and workshops, including the Koreans' unique methods of protest that incorporate Buddhist ideals of dedication (sam-bo il-bae ‘3-step/1-bow’ march on 9/8) and Korea’s traditional funeral march (on 9/9).

Labor, women, and farmers’ groups are at the forefront of these events. One goal of the Seattle protest is to build a lasting, global solidarity against neoliberalism. The only way to form any kind of resistance against the flow of unrestrained capital is to construct an international network of progressive movements. Seattle is a symbolic place for Korean activists, and they are prepared to let their voices be heard.

For South Korea, a free trade agreement with the US, similar to the effects of NAFTA and US and Mexican workers, would mean the loss of millions of jobs, the disappearance of farming families, and the privatization of social services for which the Korean people have fought for many decades. Over 50% of Korea’s population opposes this hastily conceived FTA. And the negotiations themselves are undemocratic and non-transparent.

ILO Pusan: problems and prospects

Below is a quick story from the Hankyoreh about the ILO Asian Regional Meeting now underway in Busan and some short comments of my own. I was down there for the first day's worker group meeting and the special forum on the Korean situation. It was good experience.

Members of the POSCO construction worker's union were at first not allowed to enter the event but they eventually made it past the smaller than normal police corden (just about a hundred police, not the normal thousand or more for large events and rallies) and came in and joined the forum. They were accompanied by protest singers who warmed up the crowd before the speakers went on.

Besides an outline of some of the current struggles on the penninsula by Korean delegates, the worker's group of ILO made several strong statements from their fact-finding mission undertaken by international members, I hope these make some headway.

The biggest problem of the evening was that Migrant Trade Union president Anwar Hussain was threatened with deporation and arrest if he attends the conference, which he is invited to as an official KCTU delegate. Anwar did make it to Mondays event (held one day before the event officially begins) but union members were extremely concerned about his safety. Protests are currently underway and being lodged by the KCTU and Migrant supporters. Starting tomorrow there will be a rotating one person demonstration (a Korean form of protest that is used to get around legal obstacles) in front of the Mok Dong immigration office. Worker's Groups members of the ILO and international unions are also trying their best to get Anwar into the event where he was scheduled to attend the migration forum tomorrow.

From the Hankyoreh: Meeting sheds light on plight of Korean Workers

There is a meaningful event going on right now in Busan, at which participants from nations in the Asia-Pacific region are looking for ways to create better labor conditions. The Asian Regional Meeting of the International Labor Organization (ILO) takes place every four years and will continue this year until September 1. Approximately 600 representatives from labor, business, and government have come from approximately 40 countries. The event presents our society with an opportunity to think about international labor issues, but the sad realities faced by workers in Korea make you feel like international issues are concerns for other countries. It is actually turning into a time when others are learning about the lack of rights faced by Korean laborers.

A fact-finding group representing the international labor community, here in Korea on the occasion of the ILO meeting, attempted to visit the offices of the new civil servants’ union but was prevented from doing so by the Gyeonggi provincial government. The group criticized Korea for "meeting the demands of the World Trade Organization while failing to keep its promises to the International Labor Organization" and said it would report its findings to the ILO and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and continue to monitor the labor situation here. Korea has failed to adopt repeated recommendations by the ILO for improving labor policy. Typical examples would be its failure to fully guarantee civil servants the "three labor rights" - freedom of association, right to bargain collectively, and the right to strike. This is one of the reasons Korea continues to be labeled a country that suppresses labor.

To make matters worse, a migrant worker who represents fellow foreign laborers in the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU, Minju Nochong) was kept away from the proceedings because he is currently an illegal alien. He was on his way to a session discussing ways to protect migrant laborers and he was an official delegate from KCTU, and the government was as unflexible and intolerant as could be in preventing him from attending. An ILO event is a rare opportunity to make your claims known to the global labor community, so the right to attend such an activity should be guaranteed within certain limits.

And so, as it turns out, the world is being shown Korea’s shameful labor policies and harsh conditions during this ILO meeting in Busan. All of this is, in turn, the result of a "policy for show" that obsesses over appearances without making substantial policy changes and improvements in labor conditions.

Nevertheless, Korea still has an opportunity to have the meeting come to an admirable end. The government should immediately begin listening to criticism from Korean and international labor organizations and demonstrate a willingness work together to resolve the issues. The world will take a new look at Korea when changes have been made, and Korean labor and the government will be able to restore mutual confidence. One hopes to see the meeting in Busan be a starting point for resolving the many labor issues Korea faces today.

Update #2 Gov't arrests memorial rally participants for POSCO worker

Seems that the entire memorial rally/procession of Ha Joong Keun was arrested last week in Seoul. Here is the KCTU's action alert on the topic:

736 UNION MEMBERS DETAINED IN ONE DAY
63UNION MEMBERS STILL IN JAIL
1 UNION MEMBER DEAD
MORE THAN 200 MEMBERS INJURED
1 UNION MEMBER’S WIFE MISCARRIES


On August 16, over 1,000 members of the Pohang local union, an affiliate of the Korean Federation of Construction Industry Trade Union (KFCITU), KCTU were participating in a legal and peaceful demonstration to protest the death of one of their colleague, Ha Jeung Keun who died as result of severe beating he suffered under the hands of the riot police in a demonstration to support the union’s strike that began on July 1. In the midst of a peaceful procession where some union members wore funeral dress and held photos of Ha Jeung Keun, the police blocked the union members from marching toward the National Police headquarters. Unable to proceed further, the union chose to conduct a sitdown demonstration on the streets of Seoul. The riot police responded by forcibly arresting the union members. In the end 736 union members were arrested including key leadership of the KCTU, the Korean Democratic Labor Party, and the KFCITU.

August 15 is a national holiday in South Korea, to celebrate the “Liberation” of Korea under Japanese colonialism. While the entire country was celebrating, 63 union members of the KFCITU still remain in jail for their participation in action supporting the strike launched by the Pohang local union. Although the vast majority of those imprisoned are leaders of the Pohang union, four members of the national and local branches of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the General Secretary of the KFCITU are also in jail. Despite the strike, which began on July 1, negotiations between the union and the sub contractors are still proceeding forward, albeit in a turtle’s pace. The union’s main demands are a 15% increase in wages, five-day work week, and better working conditions.

Throughout the strike, the government’s actions have been to violently stop the strike in order to protect the interests of POSCO, a major leading South Korean company, where over 90% of the Pohang members work through a series of sub contractors. The government at the urging of the POSCO has sent in thousands of riot police to not only stop the strike but also any demonstration the union coordinates even though it has gained legal permits to hold rallies and marches. The police violence has resulted in serious injuries to several members and tragically it has caused a death and a miscarriage.

To continue reading, click 'view full post'


On August 1, 2006, Ha Jeung Keun, a 42 year old member of the Pohang local union died due to the beating by the riot police during a legal demonstration organized by the KFCITU on July 16. Witnesses have stated that the police repeatedly beat Ha Jeung Keun in the head with their metal shields. The police and the South Korean government have yet to take full responsibility for these actions. The union and the family of Ha Jeung Keun has asked the government to launch a full and impartial investigation on the circumstances leading to the death of Ha Jeung Keun, fully punish those responsible for his death, and sufficiently compensate the family of Ha Jeung Keun. The family has refused to proceed with any funeral ceremonies until the government agrees to their demands. However, the government has to take any responsibility. In fact, the media has questioned the union’s claims as to the true nature of Ha Jeung Keun’s death.

In addition, on August 10, the union announced at a press conference that Ji Hyun-Sook, wife of one of the union members who was participating in a sit-down demonstration at POSCO headquarters tragically miscarried as a result of violent confrontation with the riot police. On July 19 during a demonstration coordinated by the KCTU Kyonggido Branch, she along with close to 100 family members of the union marched towards POSCO headquarters in an attempt to see their husbands, fathers, and sons; however, the riot police forcibly stopped their peaceful march and a confrontation between the riot police and the family members took place. As a result of this confrontation XXX was hurt and immediately hospitalized. At the time the doctors raised concerns about the status of her unborn child and advised her to be careful. Unfortunately she lost her child as a result of the riot police’s actions. The union along with a number of women’s groups has launched a complaint against the Human Rights Committee.

In one of the most recent rallies organized by the KCTU, the police continued its violence as they attempted to forcibly stop the union members in their efforts to march towards POSCO headquarters. 186 union members were injured and some of them are still seeking medical attention. 16 members were detained---a key leader of the KFCTIU was forcibly pulled down from the union truck and immediately arrested. The violence became so bad that even the Pohang citizens who were witnessing the confrontation attempted to intervene on behalf of the union members. The police response was to beat the Pohang citizens as well.

Despite the repression by both the government and POSCO, the Pohang local union is committed to continue with their struggle until their demands are fully met. Currently, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions has called for two national rallies to protest the police violence, the government repression against the KFCITU, and to call for the government to accept full responsibility for the death of Ha Jeung Keun. One of the rallies will be held on August 27 in Busan, prior to the ILO Asia Pacific Regional Meeting (ARM). It is ironical that the South Korean government is hosting the ILO ARM at a time when it is increasing the repression of trade union rights in South Korea. Your support is critical to put international pressure against the South Korean government.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Send a protest letter (sample enclosed) to President Roh Moo Hyun at the Blue House: 82-2-770-1690 (Fax) or e-mail at president@cwd.go.kr Copies should be sent to the Minister of Labor, Minister Kwon Ki-Hong at 82-2-503-9723 (Phone), 82-2-503-9772 (Fax) or e-mail at m_molab@molab.go.kr

Conduct a demonstration in front of the South Korean consulate or embassy in your country.

Please send copies to the KCTU and the KFCITU.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact:

Lee Changgeun
International Director
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
Tel.: +82-2-2670-9234 Fax: +82-2-2635-1134
E-mail: inter@kctu.org Web-site : http://kctu.org
2nd Fl. Daeyoung Bld., 139 Youngdeungpo-2-ga, Youngdeungpo-ku, Seoul 150-032 Korea

Lee Jin-sook
International Director
Korean Federation of Construction Industry Trade Unions
Tel : +82-2-843-1432, +82-11-326-7597 Fax : +82-2-843-1436
Email : jinsook66@gmail.com
SAMPLE LETTER

Honorable Roh Moo Hyun
President
Republic of Korea
Blue House
Seoul, South Korea

Via fax: +82-2-2198-3151



Dear President Roh:

On behalf of the __________, I am writing to express our outrage at the violent repression faced by the members of the Pohang local union of the Korean Federation of Construction Industry Trade Union (KFCITU), KCTU.

According to the KFCITU, the Pohang local union launched a strike on July 1, 2006 for a 15% increase in wages, five-day work week, and better and safe working conditions. Throughout the strike the union has and continues to conduct a series actions including a nine-day sit-down demonstration at POSCO headquarters, candle light vigils, visits to the National Assembly, distributions of union strike literatures, and rallies. However, it is our understanding that rather than trying to objectively mediate to resolved the strike in an equitable fashion, your government has chosen to sent in thousands of riot police to violently stop the union from conducting legal and peaceful actions.

The police violence has resulted in tragic consequences. Over 200 have been injured. Some are still seeking medical attention. One union member, Ha Jeung Keun has died as a result of his injuries. According to witnesses the police repeatedly beat Ha Jeung Keun on the head with their metal shields. In addition, a wife of a union member miscarried due to a confrontation with the police when she and other family members conducted a peaceful march to see their husbands, fathers, and sons who were conducting a sit-down demonstration at POSCO headquarters. The police’s actions are unacceptable and we fully denounce the use of any violence used by the police to stop the union from attempting to exercise their fundamental labor rights. We strongly urge you to launch a full and impartial investigation into the series of violent acts conducted by the police. In addition, we urge your government to punish those responsible for the deaths of Ha Jeung Keun and fully compensate his family for their tragic loss.

We would like to point out that your government’s actions and the specific violent attacks by your government against the KFCITU contravene the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 87 (Freedom of Association and Protection o the Right to Organize Convention, 1948) and 98 (Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949). These instruments are considered fundamental human rights and although South Korea did not ratify them it has an obligation arising from its membership in the ILO to respect and enforce the principles, which are the subject of these conventions. We find it ironic that your government would engage in anti-union activities that contradict ILO conventions particularly since your government will be hosting the ILO Asia Pacific Regional Meeting later this month. These actions clearly show that your government has very little respect for the ILO conventions and thus, do disservice to dishonor “the spirit” of the ILO.

In order for your government qualify to hold the ILO ARM, we believe you should immediately release of those arrested as a result of the police’s brute force to end the strike. Your government should also call the police to rescind the arrest warrants of union members who are “in hiding” as a result of the strike. More importantly, we strongly urge you to stop all forms of violence against trade unionists when they exercise their fundamental right to organize, to strike, and to collective bargaining. We will continue to monitor the situation until this matter is resolved.


Sincerely,
Your Union President

KCTU Action alert over POSCO Union member Ha Joong Keun's death

[Update: August 15th saw memorial rally in Seoul for Ha Joong Keun, members of both the KCTU and the Democratic Labour Party attended. The group intended to march to the Blue House (home of South Korea's President) but all 1200 were either arrested or detained near city hall. Here's a link with pictures (in Korean).



Here's the official action alert and lenghty analysis from the KCTU over union Ha Joong Keun's death earlier this month

KCTU/KFCITU Action Alert : Union Member dies due to severe beating by riot police

UNION MEMBER DIES DUE TO SEVERE BEATING BY RIOT POLICE

58 UNION MEMBERS JAILED FOR TRADE UNION ACTIVITES

At 2:30 am on August 1, 2006 Ha Joong Keun, a member of the Pohang
Local Union, an affiliate of the Korean Federation of Construction
Industry Trade Unions (KFCITU), KCTU died. He was severely beaten by
riot police during a demonstration in front of POSCO headquarters on
July 16. At that time, close to 3,000 members of the Pohang Local Union
were participating in a sit-down demonstration inside POSCO
headquarters.

Pohang Local goes on Strike

On July 1, the over 4,000 members of the Pohang Local union went on
strike. The union’s key demands were a 15% increase in wages,
implementation of a five-day work week, and dignity and respect at the
work site. Although the union members are hired by subcontractors, the
majority work at the construction plants operated by POSCO; and thus,
POSCO has a tremendous influence over the subcontractors in whether
they negotiate with the union or not. Recognizing this, on July 11, the
union was able to get an agreement from the POSCO management that they would mediate so that the sub contractors would not only negotiate with the union but more importantly POSCO agreed to work towards a positive and constructive resolution to the strike. However; two days later, the union discovered that POSCO had brought in replacement workers. In doing this, POSCO clearly breached the good-faith agreement with the union.

Angered, over 3,000 union members marched to POSCO headquarters to
confirm whether the revelations were indeed correct. Rather than
admitting that they had indeed hired replacement workers, the
management stated that they had no role in the matter and they were
neutral parties in the employer relationship between the union and the
sub contractors and the main contractor. The union held its ground and
sought an apology from the POSCO management. In response, POSCO refused
and called in the riot police to forcibly remove the workers.

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Union Members enter POSCO Headquarters

Fearing that they would be forcibly disbursed by at least 10,000 riot
police, on July 14 the workers, spontaneously decided to go inside
POSCO headquarters and conduct a sit-down demonstration rather than
engage in a violent confrontation with the riot police. POSCO has
alleged that the union had deliberately planned the “occupation” but it is clear that the union had not prepared for such a large-scale action as evident by the union’s purchase of larges cases of water and food after the union members had entered POSCO headquarters.

For nine days, the workers remained holed up in the POSCO headquarters
from the fifth floor to the ninth floor surrounded by thousands of riot
police. During the lock-in, the union representatives and the sub
contractors held a two-day negotiation session which ended in failure.
Although the union had requested POSCO to mediate the dispute as they
had earlier agreed, POSCO refused. In fact the management chose to
increase the pressure and repression against the union. In two
occasions POSCO cut off all power in the building; thus in the last
four days of the sit-down demonstration, the workers had no access to
water or electricity.

Union Repression---Ha Joong Keun Severely Beaten by Riot Police

In addition, thousands of riot police were called from all across the
country to possibly forcibly remove the workers from the building.
Outside POSCO headquarters, the remaining union members conducted
solidarity demonstrations which inevitably resulted in confrontations
with the riot police. At a rally coordinated by the KFCITU on July 16,
the clashes with the police was so brutal that several members were
beaten forcing them to be hospitalized. It was at this rally that Ha
Joong Keun was beaten severely on the head by riot police who kept on
pounding his head with their metal shields. This clearly further fueled
the anger and frustration of the remaining members out side the POSCO
headquarters and thus, many union members wielded steel pipes to
protect themselves from the riot police in several demonstrations after
Ha was hospitalized.

Furthermore, on July 19 in a regional rally coordinated by the
Kyonggido Branch of the KCTU, the police not only surrounded the more
than 3,000 demonstrators and blocked them from getting close to POSCO
headquarters to support those locked inside, the police used water
spray to break up the demonstration. Also, bus loads of supporters,
mainly members of the KFCITU locals were blocked by riot police from
leaving the nearby cities of Yeosoo, Daegu, and Ulsan to support the
Pohang local union. There were even some buses carrying union members
that were stopped in the highway and barred from entering the city of
Pohang.

Throughout the sit-down demonstration, the President of the Pohang
local Lee Ji Kyung consistently stated that the union would voluntarily
leave the headquarters if the sub contractors agreed to return to the
negotiating table. Despite attempts by the Korean Confederation of
Trade Unions (KCTU), Korean Democratic Labor Party members of the
National Assembly and the representatives of civil society groups, the
sub contractors, POSCO management, and the government refused to have
any dialogue with the union.

In the end, after nine days over 2,500 union members who had remained
throughout the occupation chose to voluntarily leave the building
without any concessions. As the members walked out of the POSCO
headquarters, the police immediately detained 138 union members who
they believed to be the key organizer of the action. Currently 58 union
leaders and members were jailed for attempting to exercise their
fundamental trade union rights. At 10:00 am on July 27, twenty nine of
those arrested went on a hunger strike to protest the continued
repression by the government as well as POSCO’s efforts to launch
an anti-union public relations campaign, in which the union has been
vilified as violent and lawless “gangsters.”

Organizing to Change the Construction Site at POSCO, where the Working Conditions are Dangerous and Inhumane.

The Pohang local union, formed in 1989 is one of four local unions
(Yeosoo local, Chunnamdongbu local, and Ulsan local) that comprises the
Network of Construction Plant Workers Union within the KFCITU.
Construction plant workers work in the construction and reconstruction
of big factories and plants that are used to produced petrochemicals,
oils, and other dangerous chemicals. In the case of POSCO, it is the
production of steel.

The work is backbreaking and extremely dangerous, as the workers are
exposed to a series of hazardous products and chemicals that can cause
serious illnesses and possibly terminal diseases. Although POSCO prides
itself in protecting the environment and incorporating environmental
sustainability in its steel production, construction plant workers work
daily in dangerous and unsafe working conditions in POSCO plants. This
year to date, there have been at least twenty minor a major industrial
accidents but 95% of these accidents are unreported and deliberately
hidden from public and government scrutiny. In addition, even though
the use of asbestos is banned in South Korea, it is still used in POSCO
plants, and thus, workers are exposed to a scientifically known
substance that causes lung cancer.

Although South Korea is considered an OECD country, the workers in
POSCO must work in working conditions similar to that of those in
developing countries. Since the construction plants have no washing or
changing facilities, the workers are forced to change outdoors. The
bathrooms are inadequate, insufficient, and filthy. In fact, in a work
site consisting of 3,000 workers, there are only 6 to 7 bathrooms and
about 5 to 7 portable bathrooms. Furthermore, since there is basically
no canteen or eating facility in the POSCO construction plant, workers
are forced to eat at the worksite, sometimes on the dirty floor or
ground

In addition, on an average, construction plant workers work 8 to 10
hours a week, seven days a week, totally 70 hours. They are denied any
social and medical benefits or vacation pay. In fact is a “dream” of many construction plant workers to have at least one day of the week off so they can spend time with their families. Thus, it is not surprising and completely normal that construction plant workers who have worked for more than twenty years have rarely spent time with their children, and as in the words of one worker, “I worked the entire time and during this time my daughter is no longer a child.”

Relationship between Sub Contractors and POSCO

The members of the Pohang local union are categorized as subcontract
and irregular (non-permanent) workers in South Korea. Since regular
(permanent) workers are hired directly by the company they are
guaranteed three basic labor rights---the right to organize, the right
to strike, and the right to bargain. On the other hand, sub contract
workers must negotiate with the sub contractors as they are hired by
them but in reality the real power in terms of determining wages,
working conditions, and work hours lies with the user company, the main
contractor. Most user companies are big conglomerates such as SK
Petrochemicals, LG Caltex, and POSCO.

In many cases user companies have terminated contracts with sub
contracts once the workers organize and form a union. Because of this,
many sub contract companies refuse to negotiate with the union.
Furthermore, both the user company and the sub contract company shift
the blame between each other in refusing to recognize and negotiate the
union. It should be also noted that many sub contracting companies are
owned by former top level managers of user companies resulting in an
intertwined relationship between the sub contractors and the user
company. In the case of Pohang, the main user company is POSCO and thus
the real power behind the sub contractors is POSCO.

POSCO Made 6 Billion Profits in 2005 at the Expense of its Workers

In 2005 it was reported that POSCO made a profit of close to 6 billion
dollars (US). Yet, construction plant workers who have contributed
tremendously to this profit are paid simply pennies. A construction
plant worker at a POSCO plant makes an average of $90 to $95 (US) daily
for a ten hour work day, while workers in nearby cities of Ulsan,
Chunnamdongbu, and Yeosoo make an average of $120 to $150 (US) daily.

POSCO Contradicts Company Codes of Conduct and Launches Systematic Campaign to Destroy the Pohang Local Union

As many big conglomerates, POSCO is very conscious of its public image
both within and outside of South Korea. POSCO has donated millions of
dollars to environmental, cultural, and human rights organizations. It
has also launched the POSCO TJ Park Prize, an international award to be
given annually beginning from 2007 for “achievements in community
development & philanthropy, science, and education. According to
its materials, the Community Development and Philanthropy Prize will be
given to “an individual or organization that has made outstanding
achievements with the enhancements in the quality of human lives in
Asia.” Before POSCO starts giving awards to others in enhance the
quality of life, they should start at home by making sure those workers
who work at their facilities work in a safe and decent environment and
that they are paid enough to improve the quality of their lives as well
as those of their families.

In June 2003, POSCO prided itself in adopting a company Codes of
Conduct in order to, “implement corporate ethics that meet
internationally accepted standards thus making another bold step toward
becoming a globally respected and trusted company.” In both the
UN Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, there are specific articles
pertaining to the right to organize, the right to join a union, and the
right to strike. Even though the members of the Pohang Local union are
not directly hired by POSCO, they still work in a POSCO work site and
thus the international conventions comply. However, recent internal
documents that were made public by the union revealed that POSCO had a
deliberate and systematic campaign to utilize its political and
economic clout at all levels to basically destroy the Pohang local union

POSCO urged the government to send in thousands of riot police from
across the country to basically use force if necessary to break the
strike. POSCO also galvanized the local citizens of Pohang to launch
counter demonstrations against the union, stating that the union was
creating a bad image to the city. Since POSCO controls at least 70% of
the city’s economy, clearly the local government and the
businesses are heavily influenced by POSCO. POSCO also used its
influence to launch a highly distorted media campaign against the
unions through major media outlets such as KBS and Chosun Ilbo. In fact
the mainstream media has portrayed the union as violent and engaging in
illegal activities, while POSCO has been portrayed as the “innocent victim.” Finally, it should be noted that POSCO had a plan to employ replacement workers and migrant workers during the strike. By brining in migrant workers, POSCO was attempting to increase the tension between migrant workers and native workers. These actions and the campaign to destroy the Pohang local union are clear violations of all international human rights and cultural conventions that honor trade union rights and thus, contradict POSCO’s own Codes of Conduct.

Union’s Future Activities

Despite the increased repression from the South Korean government and
POSCO, the members of the Pohang local union are strongly united in
their effort to prove that their strike and their actions are justified. Although both the government and POSCO was hoping that the union would be destroyed by arresting all of its key leaders and potential leaders, the members are steadfast in their commitment to exist as a union and more importantly to make sure that their demands as workers and as human beings are fulfilled. In addition to continuing the struggle in Pohang a delegation of the local union is currently in Seoul engaged in a series of activities including visits to members of the National Assembly, main stream media head quarters, and government officials; demonstrations in front of the Blue House and the Police headquarters to protest both the government’s and POSCO’s actions; and to publicize their struggle to the citizens of Seoul.

The support for the unions has slowly increased. Recently more than 57
national civil society groups, women’s organizations, academic associations, and other organizations have professed support for the union. The KCTU had declared a national rally in support of the Pohang local union for August 4; however, due to the recent death of Ha Joong Keun this rally will also be a memorial service and march in honor of Ha Joong Keun

For more information :

Lee Changgeun

International Director
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
Tel.: +82-2-2670-9234 Fax: +82-2-2635-1134
E-mail: inter@kctu.org Web-site : http://kctu.org
2nd Fl. Daeyoung Bld., 139 Youngdeungpo-2-ga, Youngdeungpo-ku, Seoul 150-032 Korea

And

Lee Jin-sook
International Director
Korean Federation of Construction Industry Trade Union
Tel : +82-2-843-1432, +82-11-326-7597 Fax : +82-2-843-1436
Email : jinsook66@gmail.com

fighting bilaterals

There has recently been a few interesting initiatives to fight the proliferation of bilateral agreements, including more information sharing between movements in different countries (something also facilitated by the great site bilaterals.org) and this recent conference which I heard about from gomediaction.net. I'll reprint their post below.

Fighting FTAs: the International Strategy Workshop

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During July 27-29, 2006, FTA Watch, GRAIN and Bilaterals.org organized the first ever international workshop to make a strategic analysis of the struggles against FTA in Bangkok, Thailand. Participants come from social movements that are struggling against FTAs or bilateral trade agreements in 19 countries. For example:

Costa Rica
Costa Rica lies in the United States’ backyard. Although the government agreed behind closed doors to sign the Central American Free Trade Agreement or CAFTA, a large coalition of the public are against it. The people learned from the devastating experience of Mexico after it signed the NAFTA and Chile after they signed an FTA with the US. So they mobilized and put pressure on their government until Parliament refused to approve the terms of the Agreement. As a result, CAFTA is not currently effective in Costa Rica.

“Costa Rica has 4 public universities. Of these, three universities decided take a stand together against the signature of the FTA. The State Ombudsman is another organization which has taken a stand against the FTA. A former president and other senior political figures are also clearly opposed to the deal. Artists organized cultural events to strongly oppose FTAs. Finally, the parliament had to disapprove the deal”, Maria Eugenio Trejos from Pensamiento Solidario said.

Colombia
Although Colombia has a high degree of intervention by the US, the people came out strongly against the FTA with the US. “On august 12, 2004, we mobilized a million people in the capital city. Indigenous people blocked the highways. The government shot people. Over six hundred people were injured and 6 people were dead. However, we were able to bring the FTA with the US under the scrutiny of the parliament. And there will be a vote in October” Aurelio Suarez from Asociacion Nacional por la Salvacion Agropecuaria (ANSA) said.

Phillippines
The government is in a hurry to negotiate and sign an FTA with Japan, but the people, not even the parliamentarians, have never received any information about the terms of the negotiations. Parliamentarians and civil society made an appeal to the Supreme Court because the signing of the FTA with Japan is a violation of the Constitution. Until now, the government cannot sign the FTA yet.

Mario Aguja, a parliamentarian of Akbayan political party said, “We drafted an appeal to the court saying workers will be affected. Farmers will be affected. We want information. As a parliamentarian, we have to protect people. Without information, how could we protect our people? We also started a campaign on this violation of the Constitution”

South Korea
The second round of negotiations with the US were recently closed beforeschedule because of the massive protest of almost one hundred thousand demonstrators and a one-day strike from labour unions throughout the country. Choi Jae Kwan, a delegate from the Korean Peasants League, said, “when we started our campaign, a survey found that only 20% opposed the FTA because most of them did not know anything about the FTA, hence they were neutral. But when over 300 economists and other academics joined the team to carry out a whole range of research studies for 3 months, resultingin a 700 page publication distributed to the public, there was a lot of interest. The latest poll shows that 52% now oppose the FTA. In the latest demonstration, representatives from 14 sectors such as agriculture, industry, public health, cinemas, music, media, education, consumers, etc were gather into a network with alliances at regional level. There were campaign tours throughout the country, organizing cultural festivals and seminars in every province.

Since March 2002, Robert Zoellick, the United State Trade Representative (USTR) at that time, reported to the finance committee of the US senate that the US will use bilateral trade negotiations as a tool to ensure American’s benefit around the world.

FTA or a bilateral trade agreements are being used as a new mechanism to guarantee benefits of the US in accessing resources and markets of other countries, and control over foreign economies together with international financing orgnizations like World Bank, IMF, and Development Banks in different regions. The aid and assistance by developed countries through organisations like USAID also pushes forward neoliberalist policies together with the expansion of power and military influence over important strategic points of the US around the world.

It is now clear that the FTA is not simply a matter of trade, but a political apparatus of the powerful US to expand its new brand of imperialism, in order to take over, trade, control investment and national resources of countries in different part of strategic areas around the world as we have seen from the experiences of countries in Central and South America, Pakistan, South Korea, Thailand and Philippines. Another important point is that countries negotiating FTAs with the US will have to support the US’s foreign policies especially war against terrorism, whereby they have to send their troops to Iraq and suppress people using labels such as “terrorists”.

However, the US is not the only country trying to expand its neoimperialism. The European Union, China, Japan and even India which is a new-born superpower, are also trying to move their policy into the same direction. This has a great effect over small countries whereby small entrepreneurs, communities, women, children and environment are severly affected.

These superpowers use “divide and conquer”tactics both at international and regional levels to pressure each country to conclude the negotiations as soon as possible in competition with each other. These agreements divide society into opposing sectors such as between exporters who gain from more exports, consumers who get short term gains of cheap imported products, patients who will have to buy expensive medicines, workers who are exploited and farmers who only await for the collapse.

The outstanding characteristic of an FTA is that every country faces is the secrecy of the negotiations, no matter how developed or democratic that country is, as happening in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea. In the recent case of FTA negotiations in South Korea, the government of the South Korea has agreed to keep the negotiation texts out of the public eyes for 3 years from the date the agreement is effective. This is nothing but non-transparent, non-democratic and excludes the participation of the people. Therefore, civil societies in countries are standing up and demanding the right to participate and access information. However, available information is still limited and some governments also employed violence means to suppress demonstrators. “If it is supposed to benefit us why wont they tell us what is being negotiated?”

One outstanding feature of the negotiations is that the government in each country will try to exaggerate the benefits of FTAs as in the case of South Africa, the government publicized the FTA as a “train to heaven”, driving South Africa to join highly developed countries’rank. However, the experiences of countries already signed FTAs such as Chile and Australia revealed that the real benefits were over-estimated and in some cases the impacts were worse. In Chile, FTAs caused a loss of land, an amendment of national legislation so as to promote privatisation of basic infrastructure and utilities including water. This means, piped water, drinking water, sea water, water in reservoirs and water in rivers, altogether 80% of water in Chile now belongs to private companies. Even the ocean has been privatized.

For Australia where Australia-US FTA has already been implemented for one and a half years, there was a study showing that only 1 year after FTA came into force, the exports of Australia in fact decreased by 5% and instead its trade deficit increased by 5%. This is not what the Australians were promised. The US tried to change the legislation on intellectual property rights and the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) of Australia which will result in a higher price of medicines. At the same time, the local pharmaceutical companies have moved to other countries because they could not compete with imported products from the US. These impacts have helped to raise some awareness of the people on the FTA, leading to a demand to revise the terms of the FTA with the US, and an opposition to the upcoming FTA negotiations with China.

The experiences of different countries show that when information is disseminated, and when research and analysis are carefully done with economic, social, cultural and political dimensions, and research, people soon become aware of how FTA will impact different sectors. Until then, a powerful opposition will take place. Costa Rica whose government already signed up to the CAFTA has seen a movement to stop the approval of the FTA due to popular protest. In Philippines, the government has not been able to sign an FTA with Japan as a court case claiming it is a violation of the Constitution has been filed. In Colombia, academic institutions and other independent organisations jointly declared their position against FTA while in South Korea, Thailand and Ecuador, people have successfully used information to campaign and have been able to delay the negotiations and signatory.

From the exchange of civil society’s experience in 19 countries throughout the three-day workshop, leaders of people movements have agreed to form a network to exchange information, synthesise the experiences, and conduct analysis and joint research on impacts, hidden agendas and tactics of governments in convincing their people with the FTA. Moreover, they will keep monitoring transnational corporations and other capitalists that are a driving force of the FTA negotiations. And they will continue fighting together in solidarity.

(30 July/Bangkok, Thailand)

Participants are from 19 countries: Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Columbia, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, Morocco, Senegal, Mozambique, South Africa, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Korea, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand

politics of naming

I'm not normally one for analytical posts too far off the mark of labour and political issues -- not that I actually post much other than current events anyway -- but I'd thought I would throw in some culture commentary for once, just because. Today's post is the connection between the naming and class valourization and is a hat's off to some better posting on this sort of thing over at antti's blog. A while back, perhaps a long while back, he posted briefly on the renaming of some of the old hillside squatter communities in Seoul and the effect this had on land values which went up once the apparent stigma (others might actually be proud) of the name was removed for middle class apartment blocks now in these areas. My post today, however, is on a similar but related theme.

As I was coming home this evening in a taxi (I visited tae ju ri and came back late) I couldn't help but notice the name of a new luxury apartment called enrichia. The is not the first use of a name like this I've see, but perhaps it was the -ia rather than the -pia (my personal pet peeve -- I'm not sure why) that got me thinking about other weird names. Enrichville, Richtel, even 'Richevil,' I'm sure there is a Richpia too; I've seen these on other complexs, or something very near to that. I've also seen lots bars and restaurants with names like nobless oblige, ennoble, nobel, etc, not to mention plenty of bobos (bourgois bohemians) and a few yuppies in the names (all used in the positive sense, as if this was something you would want to be), etc.

As far as I know from Antti's the renamed districts have pretty normal names I wonder if there is some connection, however, between english names in particular and class ideology. It just seems easier to do in English. Keep in mind that these are expensive apartments, the most expensive ones in fact. Whereas back home it is more often the not so nice apartments that have the ostentatious names.

What is so curious about it is that the names used are actually pretty crass and offensive. Noblesse oblige is only used sarcastically anyway, if you called yourself a 'noble' people would think you are a snob, and who would actually want to be called a bobo or a yuppie as a point of pride anyway. And if I told someone that I live in 'richville,' well, I just don't know... As for signs in Korean, I've just never seen anything in Korea that says "be a Yangban" (anyways, dear readers, please supply me with these if they do exist) or some slang equivalent of "snotty kids from Gangnam," perhaps "Chaebol Kid" would work, neither have I seen a "Puja Maul" so I have to assume that here English operates as some way to be classist or advertise class in a way that is well, kinda creepy and unsettling to an outside viewer.

I realize that inequality is certainly going up here, but it is no where here as much as it is in America. So, how does one actually select to go to such a place and what are the implications. How does it sound? "Hone, let's go to noblesse oblige tonight, they have really good Anju, and after that we can visit your sister in Richville." "Sorry babe, they said they were going to the Yuppie cafe."

Anyway... besides this brief foray into anthropology, I'll be back to more labour and other news soon.

The Qatar Strategy

Here's a breaking story from the Hankyoreh. Seems the Korean and US governments have decided to negotiate some of the more contentious issues of its current FTA in another country. This may remind some of the strategies of multinational trade agreements after the Seattle protests of 1999. At each meeting after, the venues became much more fortified -- remember the mediveal fences and walls at Quebec City (FTAA) and Genoa (G8) -- until they just decided to leave democratic countries where international activists could gather altogether so as not to face oppossition. Of course, this situation is slightly different in that it is a bilateral agreement (and a big one at that), but the theme of moving negotiation venues as far away from opposition rings true in this case and is designed to let the more controversial issues slip out off the public's radar.

From today's Hankyoreh:

Seoul, Washington to hold FTA negotiations in third country

Seoul and Washington reportedly have a plan to hold separate negotiations on the controversial issue of pharmaceutical pricing in a third country, ahead of the third round of FTA talks to be held in the U.S.

According to Rep. Hyun Ae-ja of the Democratic Labor Party (DLP), and confirmed anonymously by more than one government official yesterday, the two nations are coordinating their opinions over the time and location of the third-country negotiations. The United States, in particular, has suggested Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia or Singapore, and has proposed that the meeting happen in August.

A government official said, "These separate negotiations are official, not a behind-the-scenes meeting. In addition, the two sides haven’t yet agreed over the time and place. Whether or not to have the negotiations at all is unclear, as well."

During a forum regarding the controversial issue of pharmaceutical pricing being subject to negotiation, Rep. Hyun said, "To reach agreement on medicine pricing, South Korea and the U.S. decided to hold behind-the-scenes negotiations in a third country prior to the third official round of FTA talks due to be held in Washington."

In response, Jeon Man-bok, an official of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, remarked, "This is an issue to be disclosed by the U.S. and South Korea simultaneously, so wait and see," suggesting that the informal negotiations were indeed in the cards.

Rep. Hyun said that The Ministry of Health and Welfare earlier called the introduction of the so-called positive list system for medical pricing, currently used in South Korea, "is a matter of policy sovereignty, not a target of negotiation, but in fact, [the ministry] is bargaining with the U.S., unable to reject its demands. It is inappropriate to have separate talks on sensitive medical supplies in a third nation, which will attract relatively less attention [to the important issue]," he added.

Union activist from POSCO struggle dies from police injuries

UPDATE (Aug. 8th): Here's the link to an ICFTU article condemning the police attack. They claim that with a US 6 Billion dollar profit last year, POSCO can well afford to negotiate. Meanwhile, the Hankyoreh reports that strikes in POSCO's home town of Pohang continue to escalate, as does the police reaction.

I had been joking to friends a while back that I hadn't seen the 1001 brigade of riot police at the FTA protests so I knew it was okay to attend without serious threat. I was curious where they were anyway but later found out when I watched footage from the suppression of the POSCO solidarity protests in Pohang that same week. I've written briefly before about the 1001 (and some of the other squads numbered in the low 1000s) and their sordid history: it seems they are the ones who have inflicted the most violence on protestors, causing, in many cases, irreparable damage, even death. Our reports on the deaths of farmers during last fall's rice liberalization protests you can see in our december archives. The South Korean media has also covered some of their tactics, such as sharpening metal sheilds, etc, and there have been inquiries before. Following the brutal suppression of a non-violent protest by Daewoo Union organizers, stock footage of the 1001 was used in the British Zombie film 28 days later: in that scene where they infect the apes with 'rage'.

I think it is time for a caimpaign to get rid of the 1001 itself, as well as the other quasi mafia-ish units that do similar work. Actually, I'm really curious to how this group was formed and recruited. It doesn't seem to be the ordinary conscript riot police but a special anti-labour crack squad. Anyways, I'm reprinting the news from today's Hankyoreh below:

The Death of a Labour Union Protestor

A laborer who took to the streets demanding better working conditions has died. Ha Jung-geun was part a demonstration in support of the Pohang Construction union's sit-in at POSCO headquarters when he was injured while police forcibly dispersed the gathering, and on Tuesday he lost his struggle to stay alive. Labor activists say his brain was injured when he was hit with a police shield. The police say that is not what happened. There will have to be an inquiry, but no one can claim with any confidence that his death is unrelated to harsh working conditions and the way the authorities handled the situation.

It is the police's hard-line response that led to this tragedy. Others at the same demonstration say all of a sudden that the police attempted to disperse the event by force. The union had gone ahead with the demonstration, despite a police decision not to permit it, but the police nevertheless should have been careful enough to make sure no one was hurt. Have they forgotten how the superintendent of the National Police Agency had to step down after two farmers lost their lives in the course of the "farmers' assembly" held late last year? Law and order are important, but people's lives still have to be held precious. Otherwise police authority loses legitimacy and becomes no different than simple violence.

To keep Ha's death from having been in vain, there needs to be a thorough investigation, and the police have to be made responsible for their actions if they are found to be at fault. It really is time for a change in the police's problematic methods of dealing with demonstrations. The most fundamental solution would be to end the vicious cycle of fight-to-the-death demonstrations and the government's high-handed ways of dealing with demonstrators. We do not mean to say that it is entirely the government's fault that things get violent. However, it is the government that holds the key to ending the cycle, not labor activists. Workers whose livelihoods are already at stake do not have the physical and mental endurance it would take to end the cycle of violence. The government needs to set an example by trying not to upset these workers, and respond peacefully to protests.

The current high-handed way of dealing with the Pohang labor union needs to stop. Some 58 people have been formally arrested, more than any in a single incident under Roh Moo-hyun's government, and even more are being prosecuted. POSCO is getting ready to sue the union with a massive lawsuit. This attempt to completely destroy the union organization is only going to incite more serious resistance. It is the wrong approach, unless the goal is to wage a war on unions. The government needs to give some serious consideration as to how to end the cycle.

Korean Missle Crisis: New Materials

I haven't really covered much to date on the missle crisis, mostly because what is available in the mainstream media is easily accessible. However, today I glanced at the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy english site and noticed there were a bunch of statements. I'll link them here because we haven't much about the reaction from Northeast Asian civil society and social movement groups on the crisis in the media. I've attached two statements: one from a NE coalition and one from a coalition of Korean NGOs.

The PSPD site also has some older posts on Pyeontaek base expansion that are worth a read.

This statement was initiated by the Northeast Asian network of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC-NEA):

Joint Statement*

Northeast Asian Citizens’ Call for a Peaceful Solution to the Missile Crisis

Click "view full post" to read the entire text.

We, citizens working for peace in Northeast Asia, express our deep concern over the recent missile tests by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Though the DPRK claims the tests to be an “exercise of its legitimate right as a sovereign state,” they can only increase military tension on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, and will provoke a regional arms race. The tests run counter to the commitment to “joint efforts for lasting peace and stability in Northeast Asia” declared in the Joint Statement of the Fourth Round of Six-Party Talks in September 2005.

We recognize that US policy regarding the DPRK, including maintained military pressure and a refusal to engage in bilateral talks, contributed to the DPRK’s act of brinkmanship. Pressure or sanctions will not bring about a solution to the nuclear and missile crisis. Only dialogue in good faith can bring a peaceful solution to the current crisis.

We call on the governments and peoples in the region as follows:

1. We call upon DPRK to refrain from any further missile launch and make efforts to hold dialogue in good faith with the governments concerned, including at the upcoming North-South Ministerial Talks.

2. We urge the region’s governments to pursue negotiations on the basis of the 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks. The US should hold immediate bilateral talks with the DPRK. Japan should continue its talks based on the 2002 Pyongyang Declaration, avoiding mention of possible preemptive strikes or other military responses. The UN Security Council must not focus on punitive measures, but rather on promoting the governmental dialogue and consultation.

3. We call on the governments to bear in mind the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, exercise restraint, and avoid any action that may further intensify and complicate the situation. We call on all governments concerned not to strengthen the military power on the pretext of the missile launch. Developing and deploying missile defense systems are counterproductive as they can accelerate arms race and increase missile tension in the region.

4. We reiterate our belief that people-to-people mutual support is vital to build peace in the region. Humanitarian support to the DPRK should be continued. We oppose any sanctions that would threaten the lives of the DPRK’s people. We urge the media to refrain from any exaggerated reports on the North Korean threat that promote hostile sentiment among peoples, and encourage it to focus on peoples’ initiatives to end this crisis.

5. We urge the governments of Northeast Asia to take serious steps to develop an inclusive, sub-regional mechanism for consultations on issues of common security concern

July 11, 2006

Signatories** (As of July 11, 2006)

AU Pak Kuen (Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, Hong Kong)
CHEN Huaifan (Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament, Beijing)
Ya Han CHUANG (Peacetime Foundation of Taiwan, Taipei)
ENKHSAIKHAN Jargalsaikhan (Blue Banner, Mongolia)
Vadim GAPONENKO (Maritime State University, Vladivostok)
JUNG Gyung Lan (Director, Center for Peaceful Future of Korea, Women Making Peace, Seoul)
KAWASAKI Akira (Peace Boat, Tokyo)
KIM Jeong Soo (Representative, Women Making Peace, Seoul)
Anselmo LEE (Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Bangkok)
LEE Mihwa (Secretary General, Nonviolent Peaceforce Corea, Seoul)
Kathy MATSUI (Global Citizenship Dept., Seisen University, Tokyo)
Gus MICLAT (Initiatives for International Dialogue, Manila)
PARK Joon S. (Co-chairperson, Nonviolent Peaceforce Corea, Seoul)
PARK Sun Song (People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, Seoul)
PARK Sung Yong (Co-chairperson, Nonviolent Peaceforce Corea, Seoul)
SASAMOTO Jun (Japanese lawyers International Solidarity Association (JALISA), Tokyo)
Philip YANG (Taiwan Security Research Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei)
YOSHIOKA Tatsuya (Director, Peace Boat / Northeast Asian Regional Initiator, Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict, Tokyo)


* This statement was initiated by the Northeast Asian network of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC-NEA) and made open to signatures by all.
** Affiliation in bracket is for identification purpose only.

Statement from Korean NGOs on North Korea's Missle Launch

North Korea pushed forward with their missile launch last week. Other nations such as South Korea, the U.S., and Japan reacted by taking a hard-line approach. As a result, these actions immediately complicated the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.

We express regret that despite concerns from South Korea and the international community, North Korea proceeded with missile tests. It is not yet clear whether the missile firing was utilized as a North Korean 'diplomatic strategy' to press the U.S. into direct negotiations, or used as a 'military deterrent' in response to military threats from the U.S. Whatever North Korea’s intentions, missile launches were an unwise action which raised the security stakes on the Korean Peninsula while also increasing leverage of hawks in Washington and Tokyo.

We are also deeply worried with the adoption of a hard-line response, both domestically and internationally, towards North Korea. President Bush ceased negotiations regarding North Korea's missiles as soon as he took office. Moreover, the Bush Administration has ignored North Korea and maintained a strategy based on military threats against the North. Therefore, the U.S. government cannot avoid blame for this recent unfortunate event. The Japanese government should also be blamed for keeping its long-time hard-line approach toward North Korea since the Pyeongyang Declaration in September 2002. Lastly, the South Korean government has not promoted military trust-building, nor done enough to create a more favorable atmosphere between the two Koreas. South Korea accepted the U.S. military’s 'Strategic Flexibility', conceded to U.S. hegemony by partially attending 'Proliferation Security Initiative', and dramatically built up its military forces.

We also find it problematic that domestic politics and the media define the North Korean missile launches as a failure of South Korea's 'engagement policy' and initiate a hard-line approach toward the North. The current North Korean missile launch crisis is the result of the U.S. government's hard-line policy and North Korea's improper response to it.

Given these circumstances, we call on other nations to solve today's crisis in a wise manner, and work towards creating a peaceful atmosphere. Below, we list our following demands:

First, North Korea should immediately give up its belligerent rhetoric. Stating "more tests are on the way" only provokes the crisis, and creates an unfavorable atmosphere for negotiations. Moreover, it should show its willingness to cover comprehensive issues on the Korean Peninsula including the missile issue at the upcoming inter-Korean ministerial talks scheduled for July 11.

Second, it has already been proven that the U.S. policy based on sanctions and pressure is unable to resolve North Korean nuclear and missile problems. Therefore, the U.S. government should return to the negotiating table with North Korea and show respect for North Korea's own sovereignty. We are opposed to sanctions against North Korea, whether unilaterally from the U.S., or through a UN resolution, which will only deteriorate the current crisis. Moreover, we urge the U.S. to actively participate in any form of talks with North Korea.

Third, the Japanese government should reverse its tough stance against North Korea. For example, it should reverse its decision to block the entry of the North Korean cargo vessel ManKyungBong and its sponsorship of U.N. sanctions against the North. In addition, Japan should actively take part in talks with North Korea to resolve the Japanese kidnapping issue, and resume normal DPRK-Japan diplomatic relations. As Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi had suggested prior to the nuclear crisis, the Japanese government should offer to play the role of mediator between the U.S. and North Korea to foster trust and the improvement of relations.

Fourth, the South Korean government should retract its decision to suspend humanitarian assistance to the North, including rice and fertilizer shipments, and should keep economic assistance and cooperation intact. Any intention to induce changes in North Korean policy through sanctions and coercion are in violation of the basic principles of an ‘engagement policy’, and reduces the opportunities for South Korea’s involvement, thereby adversely affecting inter-Korea relations. The South Korean government should see the firing of missiles as an opportunity to take more of a lead role in resolving North Korean issues.

Fifth, the international community, including the six-party talk participants, should incorporate six-party talks with parallel bilateral talks between the U.S. and North Korea. The U.S. held bilateral talks with all other 6 party members except North Korea. The United States’ refusal to hold direct talks with the North raises suspicion whether the U.S. really has any intention in solving problems with North Korea. In order to resume the six-party talks and achieve success, we believe the U.S. and North Korea must exchange their concerns and break their state of distrust through direct talks.

Finally, we like to make an earnest request to our people, media, and politicians. It is certain that the North Korean missile launches have a negative impact on South Korea’s economy and security. However, this is not a consequence of South Korea’s 'engagement policy', but a result of North Korea’s improper reaction towards a U.S.-backed hard-line policy. In that sense, South Korean politicians and media should not take a tougher policy approach towards the North

We reiterate our concerns over the North Korean missile launches and urge other nations, including South Korea, to turn the possible ‘crisis’ caused by the missile tests into an ‘opportunity’.


2006. 7. 10

Korea Youth Corps, Green Korea United, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, Civil Network for a Peaceful Korea, Korea Women's Associations United, Women Making Peace, National Council of YMCAs of KOREA, Korean Federation for Environmental Movement

A victory against the proliferation of irregular work?

I'm not sure hat the full implications of this might be, but it seems that the government has made an announcment saying it would regularize 320,000 public workers.

[Aug 9th: UPDATE: Make that, officially, 54,000: here's the link to a Hankyoreh article on the topic]

Now this is quite signficant because (1) the government employee's union (remember in Korea there is a distinction between public employee's and civil servants in terms of status) has remained illegal and faces a lot of persecution for advocating for rights -- you may remember that I mentioned the seizure of public employees assets for illegal strikes in a 2005 article I wrote here (this doesn't mean that this work will stop as this agreement says nothing about the basic labour rights of government employees--see this statement of solidarity within public sector here); and (2) it sets a precident for private employers.

Now, I'm going to keep the question mark in the title above because I'm really not sure how this will be implemented and what the union response is and/or will be. I'll keep you posted though. For now, it seems interesting. I might even add that it could help some of Korea's economic woes by increasing domestic demand. Not sure what the effects will be in manufacturing though, as far as I know this form of demand stimulation does help the economy turn over but still leaves other long term prospects up for grabs. Readers are invited to whey in with their own opinions. Below I'll reprint the press realease from the Korean International Labour Foundation (KOILAF).


Agree[ment] on Granting Regular Worker’s Status to 320,000 Non-regular Workers in Public Sector

Comprehensive Measures to be announced in August … 200 billion won to be reflected in the next year budget

The government and the ruling Uri Party agreed on July 24th , 2006 to hire non-regular workers of public sector who work full-time on a regular basis as regular employees.

According to a news report from Labor Today on 25th, the government and the ruling Uri Party held a labor policy consultation with attendance of Kim Han-gil, floor leader and Lee Sang-soo, Labor Minister in the National Assembly, and agreed to come up with comprehensive measures regarding non-regular workers in August in order to make an example for private companies by preventing exploitation of 320,000 non-regular workers in public sector and eliminating discrimination sustained by non-regular workers.

On that day, the government reported the result of a comprehensive survey of the utilization and treatment for non-regular workers in public sector, which was conducted during the first half of this year. The governing Uri Party concluded that not many irregular workers were used in professional areas whereas many were used on a full-time and regular basis, and discrimination existed in terms of wage and welfare, and outsourcing service contracts fell far short of the market standard.

The government and Uri Party agreed to develop regulations with regard to utilization of non-regular workers to use as a guideline for reasonable workforce operation. In particular, the Party urged the government to △ make it mandatory for public organizations to hire non-regular workers who work full-time on a regular basis as regular employees △ eliminate discrimination in accordance with a bill of non-regular workers which is pending in the parliamentary Legislation and Judiciary Committee △ correct illegal use of non-regular workers or unreasonable employment contract with low wage, if any.

Officials expected that the comprehensive plan would cost the government and state-run entities an additional 200 billion won annually, and agreed to reflect it in the next year budget. To handle this matter, an inter-ministerial body will soon be established.

Rep. Je Jong-geel, chairman of a committee on social policies at the Uri Party, said in a briefing after the meeting, “the government will come up with a comprehensive plan by August. Some contract workers serving in ‘essential’ positions will be rehired as regular employees, and discrimination in wage and working conditions will be removed. As the first step, efforts will be made to grant regular job status to about 70% of non-regular workers.