South Korea: The Tiger Strikes
‘Second Wave’
January 3rd saw a resurgence of the general strike with 46 unions - in ship-building, heavy engineering, chemicals and, of course, the car factories participating in what was called the "First phase escalation of the second wave of the general strike" yet, the KCTU complains, the Ministry of Labour is constantly issuing press reports "radically down-sizing the strength of the strike". On January 4th important rallies took place in all the major cities and the strike was indeed escalating back to its pre-holiday level.
By January 6th the strike figures were again nearing the 200,000 mark. The continuing strike campaign began to stimulate other social organisations. The National Council of Churches in Korea called a meeting of 52 regional human rights committees to set up a pan-Christian ‘task force’ for the re-amendment of the labour laws. A national body of catholic priests decided to hoist placards in church compounds making them available as sanctuary to striking workers. A Buddhist monks’ organisation also formed an ‘emergency task force’.
The ‘Association of Lawyers for a Democratic Society’ made an official application for access to all the relevant records of the extraordinary session of the National Assembly which had seen the "commando-style passage of the problematic bills". The ‘University Professors’ Association for Democracy’ began a petition campaign to collect 2,000 signatures among their colleagues. Similar efforts were being undertaken by medical practitioners, "cultural artists" and pharmacists. For the first time in this strike, the unions of insurance, stock and security companies started to participate.
But it was on the 6th January that two "well-built policemen" barged into the KCTU offices to serve summonses on its leaders. They made no arrests but, by the evening of the next day, a total of 217 trade union activists in different parts of the country had been summoned for questioning by the public prosecutors. The 8pm television news indicated that they were going to apply for arrest warrants the next day. Acting on a tip-off from a sympathetic reporter that their offices were about to be raided and searched, the KCTU leaders removed important documents and computers to ‘safe houses’.
At 5 am on 7th January union members at the four major television and radio networks walked off the job. Later in the day, as the ‘Campaign News’ puts it, "The familiar faces who brighten the television screens were out on the streets or in the park, mingling with the technicians or uniformed workers from the factories and the white-collar workers from the Stock Exchange - all of them singing songs together. Today’s demonstration, some 15,000 strong - left the Jongmyo Park quickly and dispersed in groups of tens and twenties to a hundred different local centres in Seoul for public awareness raising sessions."
The KCTU newspaper department had printed one million copies of a special strike edition. Workers took bundles of the newspaper, together with leaflets and petitions to shopping centres, department stores, subway and railway stations to "meet the general public". Similar campaigns were repeated in 20 regional centres from the southernmost Cheju-do Island to the northernmost cities of Kangwon-do province, "with their snow-capped mountains in the back-ground". The next day in Chullabuk-do province, strikers went to rural villages hit by heavy snowfall to assist in the recovery work. Other members from the industrial estates, zones and complexes conducted a clean-up campaign in nearby "environmentally distressed" areas.
The 8th January, as the KCTU’s narrative explains, "Saw the full entry of the white-collar workers into the strike". This will, it is believed, set the stage for the re-enactment of the great June democratic struggle in 1987, which "catapulted" into a massive democratic uprising led by the "neck-tie corps".
On the 9th of January, protest rallies were organised throughout the country in front of branch offices of the New Korea Party and Friday, 10th January, was designated a day of protest against the "thief government". There was much speculation as to whether the FKTU, which had "left the strike trail" for more than two weeks, would postpone yet again its resumption of industrial action. At present it was promising to bring all its members out on January 13th.
International Solidarity
The 10th January had been chosen by the KCTU as a day for international solidarity action. Pickets were held outside embassies, consulates and Korea Airline offices in up to 30 countries. The federation’s leader, Kwon Yong-kil, had written an eloquent appeal sent out to international trade union organisations and the Internet. It opened with: "Warmest greetings to melt all the snow and cold of this extraordinary winter" and finished: "With a renewed appreciation of the power of international solidarity".
Late on the 9th of January, police raids had been carried out on a number of KCTU headquarters including those of the metal-workers, hospital workers and automobile workers. Thousands of riot police raided the central KCTU offices at 12.30am the following night. Undaunted, the KCTU was calling for "the biggest strike in the nation’s history" on 14th-15th January and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) had at last announced that it would rejoin the action.
On the demos
The 11th January Seoul demonstration, like many others, ended with violence. An eye-witness account was posted on the internet by someone describing herself as a "foreign traveller":-
"A crowd of people wearing the familiar red headbands was making its way to Pagoda Park. It was full of young and old alike, mothers and fathers with their children, high school students and a number of nuns and monks. The atmosphere was jubilant and energised (like a Korean company ‘team building’ day). The ‘Ajummas’ (the older married Korean women) were busy selling their lamayon (noodles) and fish while the ‘Ajossi’ (the elder married men) were drinking coffee or soju. It felt like a picnic.
"A group of young women were nurses from one of Seoul’s largest hospitals. Their major concerns were unreasonable lay-offs, irregular schedules, extended work time and the ability of the employer to transfer them to any hospital at any time. They felt that the demonstration was powerful, cheerful, and most of all, they felt safe. A medical insurance man felt (it) was a turning point, a joint protest with labour and Seoul citizens. On a platform high above the listening and participating audience, two men representing communication workers were having their heads shaved (a traditional way of displaying dedication to a cause).
"Throughout the afternoon a large contingent of about 500 riot police stood by with shields, weapons and face guards, looking as if they were waiting for something to happen. The crowd left the park and began to emerge on the busy street. Soon the traffic had been stopped and the smell of tear gas began to filter through the air. A few rocks were thrown by the crowd, then an announcement was made by the police. They must disperse from the street as this was now an illegal demonstration. Instead, the crowd started coming towards the police. More rocks were thrown and more tear gas fired. At one time the crowd managed to surround the riot police."
A young English teacher in Chong-ju wrote in a letter to her parents:-
"Last weekend I joined a local demonstration. A Korean woman (teacher) asked me as many questions as I did her. She was inspired that a foreigner joined and supported the demonstration. They’re expected to work 55 hours a week and are calling for an eight-hour day. They work six days a week, so that’s still 48 hours.
"The Korean labour movement anthem is so moving - The Marching Song for You - so uplifting. I had chills down my spine and tears in my eyes. The strikers’ chants are about ‘Protecting democracy’ and ‘Killing dictators’. They don’t mince their words here. And they are all wearing head-bands that read: ‘Fight - Unification - Victory.’
"More workers are joining each day. Today (Wednesday 15) the suit-clad office workers have joined in. Myong Dong, the most expensive shopping area of Seoul, has been the scene of daily riots and the police and army aren’t shy with the tear gas!"
On the two days of joint action the KCTU claimed 420,000 struck work and its rally in Seoul on 15th January was the biggest so far with 60,000 participating. But the KCTU members were demonstrating in Yoido Square while the FKTU members had assembled separately at Jongmyo Park. It would not be until January 26th that the leaders of both union federations would stand together before the massed ranks of a joint demonstration.