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[PRESS RELEASE] Equality Trade Union-Migrants Branch

In preparation for the World Cup and Asian Games, Korean government prepares for massive Crackdown of migrant workers and Blocked the Migrant Workers rally.




April 22, 2002
PRESS RELEASE

References: Seo, Seon Young - Organizing Director (hp: 017-209-4822)
Marlen Kim Obrero - International Solidarity Director,


In preparation for the World Cup and Asian Games, Korean government prepares for massive Crackdown of migrant workers and Blocked the Migrant Workers rally.

Hundreds of illegal migrant workers from various countries planned to protest the mass deportation, which requires illegal aliens to turn themselves in to authorities, in a massive rally at Jongmyo Park in downtown Seoul. The government called the rally illegal, and police sealed off the area and prevented migrant workers from entering there.

According to the immigration, they will block and conduct arrest in the rally because the migrants are not citizen of Korea, and they are undocumented, therefore cannot held any rally. The official also claimed that they received many complaints about the rally.

The Equality Trade Union-Migrants Branch decided to make an alternative plan for the rally, because police and authorities threatened they would arrest all illegal workers participating in the rally. Local Korean workers and members of KCTU, students from various universities, and representative for different NGO's pushed through and held the rally instead. Around 150 participants attended. On a separate location, leaders of the Migrants communities and organizations held a press conference to condemn the said blocking of the migrants rally and further expressed the demand for legalization and opposition to the deceptive "registration" scheme of the government.

It is very evident that the government intends to criminalize migrants for being undocumented. "Why would the Ministry of Justice, the Immigration of the Korean government would treat us this way, even though we have rendered services to its economy". We are human being too. We have rights to be respected and to be recognized". Its so ironic that the series of crackdown on undocumented migrant tends to 'criminalize' us for being undocumented while in fact we are contributing to the Korean economy. We are human being too. We have rights to be respected and to be recognized". sai by one of the migrant worker during the press conference.

As the World Cup and the Asian Games sooner unfolds, the Korean government will
intensify its effort to arrest undocumented migrants. This is part of the Government plan to gradually reduce the increasing number of undocumented migrants as earlier announced last December 2001. In addition, part of this plan is the implementation of the "Voluntary Registration" for undocumented migrants.

Many Migrants are undecided to register because it is designed to gradually kick-out undocumented migrants back to their home country within a maximum of one year. In addition this scheme will pave the way for the Employment Permit System (EPS).

Last April 7, the The Equality Trade Union-Migrants Branch (ETU-MB) organized a rally to express opposition to the pretentious "registration", the Employment Permit System and the expected crackdown.

The EPS and far worst than the Trainee System. We believe that the EPS is just for the new comer and not for the currently working as undocumented migrants. In addition, this will not solve the increasing number of undocumented migrants as it is bound to maintain the Trainee System, control the migrants, therefore maintaining the non-recognition of our rights as workers, become chea pand docile labor.

We are expecting to double the number of participants, but the preparation was blocked by the Government as they threaten to conduct mass arrest to those migrants who will participate. Police blocked yesterday migrant workers from holding a rally to protest the government's move to deport all illegal aliens, but civic groups held a protest and urged the government to legalize illegal migrant workers' rights to move and work in Korea.

We deplore and express indignation to the government agencies' in blocking our rally to express our protest to the pretentious scheme of registering undocumented migrants. Our rally is only aimed in conveying our situation and Demand for Legalization. The Blocking and the threat of massive arrest on the rally is a clear violation the human rights of migrants that presupposes the freedom of speech and assembly in a democratic
society.

"The migrant workers have had enough. The years of silence from the difficulties and suffering as undocumented workers has tested the limits of our patience. For more than a decade now, migrant workers have provided the Korean economy with its much needed source of cheap and docile work force for its 3D companies (dirty, difficult and dangerous) usually shunned by local workers. While we shed our tears and sweat to create and provide profits for the many small and medium scale industries, we had have endured the difficulties", the ETU-MB said on its statement.

"We have been longing for recognition as part of Korean society for far too long. We demand the Korean Government to take actions and provide genuine Legalization to the undocumented migrant workers, and respect our rights as humans, as workers and as part of the Korean society." another migrants worker said.

The recent suppression of the willingness of the migrants to express reveal to all people the government neglect and lack of concern to the migrants who contribute to its economy. We will never cease to assert until our demand for Genuine Legalization is addressed. We will carry on until we are finally recognized and our rights are respected. conclude by Ms Yi Yoon Joo, the Chief of the ETU-MB.###

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Equality Trade Union-Migrants Branch
(150-031) 2nd Floor. 24, Youngdeungpo-1-ga,
Youngdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Korea
Tel : 02-985-9061 Fax : 02-2068-8129
Email: migrant@jinbo.net migrant@nodong.net vmigrant@hotmail.com

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