Welcome to BASE21

KOREA, REP: (February 8), in Seoul, IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi visited imprisoned Korean trade unionists Dan Byung-ho and Mun Sung-hyun.

Dan, president of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), said that all the attention and expressions of solidarity shown on January 22 (Korea Action Day) overwhelmed him.

According to Marcello Malentacchi, Dan was in good spirits and fairly optimistic about the future. The KCTU president said that he had many times read about international solidarity, but that it was only now he really learned about what the action could be behind the words.

The IMF delegation also visited Mun Sung-hyun, until recently president of the Korean Metal Workers' Federation (KMWF). He was also very touched by all the solidarity actions and expressed his sincere view that the solidarity work carried out has helped the two IMF affiliates in South Korea to cooperate more closely. He also foresees that "within some years" the two unions could become one.

Marcello Malentacchi, noting that the Korea Action Day had been an organisational success but that the trade unionists were still in prison, says that IMF-coordinated activities on the Korean issue will continue. "A task force has been set up and shall examine what further steps will be taken," said the IMF general secretary. "There are different suggestions and ideas; they shall soon be discussed with the affiliates concerned."

NOTE (1): Mun Sung-hyun is no longer president of the Korean Metal Workers' Federation. A new leadership of the KMWF was elected at its recent Congress.

NOTE (2): During the IMF mission to Korea, four Daewoo trade unionists, who had taken refuge in San-gok Cathedral since a year ago, were arrested.