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December 10, 1999

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All Arrested KCTU Officers Released

Power and Speed of International Solidarity

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, December 9, 1999, all of the 17 KCTU leaders who are arrested and detained by the police in the course of their effort to defend the sit-in site against the brutal assault by the riot police have been released.

The latest to be released were Mr Kim Jeung-keun and Mr. Shim Dong-jin, the two directors of the Organising Department of the KCTU national office. While the rest were released unconditionally, the last two were charged for “obstruction of the exercise of public law and order action”, for their resistance against the riot police raid. So they will have to face trial some time later.

International Solidarity

The news of the raid of the KCTU sit-in site by the riot police aroused immediate reaction from the trade union movement community of the world, which helped in bringing about the quick release of the detained activists.

The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions led the way by writing a long letter of protest to President Kim Dae Jung on December 7. In this letter, ICFTU General Secretary Bill Jordan explained in detail the demands of the KCTU action.

The trade union movement representatives from many Asian countries attending a special seminar organised by the ILO International Institute of Labour Studies, led by Mr Noriyuki Suzuki, the new General Secretary of the ICFTU-APRO, resolved immediately to send a letter of protest addressed to President Kim Dae Jung.

Many international industrial federations, such as the International Metalworkers Federation, and national centres, such as the Canadian Labour Congress, sent letters of protest to President Kim Dae Jung.

The media officer of the SAMWU-COSATU also coordinated an extend international protest campaign by organising letters to the Korean government and media.

The news of the riot police raid was featured as the top news at the most widely accessed labour movement news website, LabourStart. The LabourStart relayed the news via its listservice to several thousand trade union movement activists in the world.

The swift and resolute international solidarity action was instrumental in obtaining the release of the 17 KCTU leaders. The KCTU, made to realise once more the power of international solidarity and the new communication weapon of the labour, extends gratitude to all those who have taken the action. It realises, also, that we also need to be ready to take part in this kind of action whenever our brothers and sisters are under attack or taking up the struggle.

Report on the Injuries

The riot police raid resulted in the injury to 7 KCTU leaders, the full extent of which became known following close medical examination.

The most seriously injured is the KCTU General Secretary, Mr. Lee Soo-ho who suffered a rupture of ligaments in his left knee. The doctors have prescribed six-week treatment. They recommended against surgery due to his age, but put in plaster for six weeks, forcing.him to use crutches.

Mr. Kim Young-je, the KCTU Director for Reunification Affairs, was found to have severe muscle damage in his shoulders and back requiring two week treatment. Mr Kim Jeung-keun, the KCTU Director for Organising has severe back pains, unable to stand straight. Upon his release from police detention, he will need a full body MRI to ascertain the extend and nature of the injury.

Mr Jang Kwang-su, the General Secretary of the Korean Federation of Construction Daily Workers Unions, received severe bruise in his left hand, while Oh Hee-taek and Kim Jong-tae of the same federation received damages to retina (due to broken eye-glasses) and broken nose, and a broken finger, respectively. Mr Kim Seung-hyuk, the Director of Research at the Korean Metal Workers Federation, had his left finger stitched due to torn muscle.

KCTU will claim the medical treatment cost from the government.

Redoubling of the KCTU Action

Following the assault by the riot police, and the stealing away of the cargo container, the KCTU and its affiliates set up more than 10 large tents at the same site. Every day, nearly five hundred workers gather for protest rallies at lunch time and the evening. More than one hundred workers spend the night in the tents.

The KCTU, while continuing to call for an official apology from the government and the punishment of the persons responsible for the unwarranted attack, will concentrate its action to demand the passage of reform bills, including the reduction of working hours and the abolition of the National Security Law.

The violent raid of the sit-in by the riot police has informed the KCTU that it would take much more effort to bring about the real change in the government in its attitude to the trade union movement, labour, and democratic demands of the people, despite its recent decision to recognise the KCTU legally.

KCTU, in thanking the immediate response of the trade union brothers and sisters across the world, hopes that a greater solidarity effort can be built and maintained as the Korean workers continue their struggle for five day working week and resistance against the neo-liberal structural adjustment programme dictated by the global capital concerns guided by the IMF.