The Class Struggles in South Korea.

[ManyAntsDefeatSpiders]

For those who do not know, South Korea has some of the most militant unions in the world.

The corollary of that is that they have one of the most brutal 'police' forces in the world. Killings are not unheard of.

Its quite ironic that South Korea has some of the most militant unions in the world - the FKTU (Federation of Korean Unions) was formed in '61 after a military coup, under the guidance of the military. This has around 1.2 million members.

I suppose that it was a useful means in controlling the large number of workers, particularly in the manufacturing sector.

The other main trade union is the KCTU (http://www.kctu.org/) (Korean Confederation of Trade Unions) (you can also read more regarding South Korea labour struggles under the 'documents' heading in their website) which was formed in '95 and has a membership of nearly 600,000 with around 1200 unions.

In December 1996 and January 1997 automotive and shipbuilding workers went on strike against laws changing labour rights. The Korean government also refused to give legal recognition to the KCTU until the year 2000. The FKTU then called on a general mass strike. The strike ended after the laws were repealed.

It was estimated that around one billion in production was lost, despite the government declaring all strikes illegal.

New employment laws, however, have been passed which remove unjust redundancy laws in circumstances, remove right for full paid unionists, remove right for people to join unions in certain sectors, remove duplicate unions in areas, make criminal convictions for illegal strikes and so on...

You can see examples of police violence here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTPbK6YAF4M)

And you can see examples of how the workers fight back here. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMi7Jkay0fY&feature=related)

:star2:

[cyu]

Great post. Thanks.

[BIG BROTHER]

woah! those workers are pretty hardcore!

[ManyAntsDefeatSpiders]

woah! those workers are pretty hardcore!

Indeed. When was the last time you saw a flame-thrower being employed against police?

South Korea protesters are also notorious for using long bamboo sticks in protests, often employed at the faces of the riot squads (under their masks).

The police which are taken behind 'enemy lines' of the protesters are beaten within an inch of their life. Indeed, I have seen videos of police officers crying as they are being taken away.

But the police are just as violent. I think it would be fair to say that South Korea has one of the most brutal police forces in the world.

In particular, they use their riot shields and aim specifically at the necks of protesters. And of course, beat the living shit out of you with their batons.

This is all documented in videos.

Frankly, the South Korean rioters make the Greek Anarchists rioters look childish in comparison. And that is saying something.

[ManyAntsDefeatSpiders]

The President and Vice-President of the Migrant's Trade Union were arrested (http://iktu.blogspot.com/2008/05/kctu-repression-against-migrant-trade.html). It is unclear what they are being charged with (if anything)...

[Dust Bunnies]

These South Koreans are an example to us. They are working towards their freedom.

[Raúl Duke]

I actually heard of this before (in one of RS2Ks papers...as a counter example against the idea that Asians were not that much class conscious. I have a propensity to memorize random things :bored: )

Pretty intense.

Although according to the comments it was some military people protesting about their bonuses...

[ManyAntsDefeatSpiders]

Well...they were deported. (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/05/117_24293.html)

They had been in the country 16 and 9 years respectively.

As of January, a total of 653,064 foreign labourers were living in Korea, including 202,817 illegal workers. The government estimates more than 20,000 illegal workers have resided here for a decade or longer.

Some 6 thousand Nepalis live in South Korea (as was the President of the Foreign Worker's Union) and more than 90 percent of them are labourers.