INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-KOREA:

ANOTHER APPEAL FOR KOREAN TRADE UNIONISTS:

Molly has blogged on this matter before. The present South Korean government seems determined to crush dissent in that country. Here's yet another appeal for solidarity with Korean unionists, this time from the Labour Start online solidarity network.

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Act NOW!

Korea: Stop arrests of trade union leaders:

Following a massive wave of protests and demonstrations, on 24 July the South Korean government issued arrest warrants for top leaders of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) including Lee Suk-haeng (President - pictured) and Lee Yong-shik (General Secretary). Ms. Jin Young-ok, First Vice-President of the KCTU has been arrested and detained.

The police surrounded the building where the main office of the KCTU is located, ready to move in and arrest the leaders. Arrest warrants have also been issued for other union leaders (see list below).

This anti-union repression threatens to return Korea to the dark days of the military dictatorship which ended two decades ago. Korean trade unionists are asking for a huge international campaign to pressure their government to respect human rights.

List of other trade union leaders for whom arrest warrants have been issued:

*Jung Gab-deuk, President, KMWU

*Nam Taek-gyu, First Vice-president, KMWU

*Yoon Hae-mo, President, Hyundai Motor Branch

*Kim Tae-gon, First Vice-president, Hyundai Motor Branch

*Kim Jong-il, Vice-president, Hyundai Motor Branch

*Jung Chang-bong, Vice-president, Hyundai Motor Branch

*Joo In-koo, Vice-president, Hyundai Motor Branch

*Jo Chang-min, Secretary,Hyundai Motor Branch

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Please go to THIS SITE to send the following letter. There is also a Facebook Cause page for this campaign.

THE LETTER:

To President Lee Myung-bak and Police Commissioner Eo Cheong-soo

I call upon your government to immediately stop the repression against the KCTU and its affiliates, release the detainees and call off arrest warrants. South Korea must respect fundamental trade union rights, including the right to strike. I support the call on your government to fully implement the recommendations of the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association and guarantee freedom of assembly and the people's right to dissent.
Sincerely,