Korean Confederation of Trade Union President Arrested
See below for a letter and materials about support for the KCTU and the Korean workers' movement.'Yesterday polices forces penetrated the pure space, the sanctuary of the temple grounds without hesitation despite the expression and concern of the Joggye leadership. This is an act we cannot tolerate. December 9 will be remembered as a day of shame on which the insanity of the ROK authorities was demonstrated beyond refute.'
A letter from the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union (KPTU) on the arrest of the President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU):
Dear Colleagues and Friends
In the midst of growing labour repression here, Han Sang-gyun, President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), was arrested yesterday.
A warrant has been out for president Han’s arrest in relation to the Nov. 16 Mass Mobilisation against the government’s regressive labour policies and other protests. President Han had taken refuge in the Jogye Buddhist Temple for the last 25 days.
With the police threatening to raid the temple KCTU and President Han made the difficult decision that he would leave the temple and turn himself into the police voluntarily out of concern for the disruption being caused to the temple. He was immediately arrested after stepping out the temple gate.
Attached and linked below is President Han’s press statement before his arrest.
As the statement says, this government is going at great lengths to paint the labour movement as a violent criminal group to distract attention from state violence and its unilateral attempts to force through unpopular labour law reforms.
On the same day, the police issued a press statement high lighting the indictment of 8 our our truck driver member and officers on trumped up charges in relation to a high-altitude protest these truck drivers in engaged to demand basic safety and rights at work.
The Korean labour movement continues our fight against repression and the government’s regressive labour polices with strike action planned for December 16 and beyond.
See updates on the Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/kctueng/posts/485758888260607
임월산 (Wol-san Liem)
국제국장 민주노총 공공운수노조 Director of International Affairs Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union (KPTU)