People's Victory 21 - Newsletter No. 8
November 27th, 1997
Published by Solidarity Committee of People's Victory 21 "for Democracy and Progress"
Edited by International Solidarity Team
tel : ++82-2-701-9088(exchange number 201)
e-mail : vic21@chollian.net, vic21@hitel.net
Sisters and Brothers! we are Solidarity Committee of the People's
Victory 21 "for Democracy and Progress". In Korea, there will be
presidential election on December 18th. Korean progressive forces have
had people's candidates in '87 and '92, and this year workers' movement
on the basis of KCTU(Korean Confederation of Trade Union) and almost
all of progressive forces have gathered to make People's Victory 21, now
campaigning for the independent political influence of the workers.
This newsletter is composed of reports on People's Victory 21, quick
news of the workers' struggle, and the election pledges of People's
Victory 21. We want you to have interests in our struggles and election
activities and we would like to have practical solidarity with all of you.
If you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to send e-mail to
us. We want your opinions so that we can announce them on newspaper or network in our country.
Contents
- The Current Situation of People's Victory 21 "for Democracy and
Progress"
- Quick news of the struggles of workers and people in Korea
- 10 Major pledges of PV21
1. The Current Situation of People's Victory 21 "for Democracy and
Progress"
Started 22 days' long march
PV21 started 22 days' long march after Kwon enrolled as a candidate on
26th. Before enrollment, Kwon took an oath of struggle by paying
reverence to the deceased in 4.19 graveyard which is the cemetery of
martyr for people's democracy. And Kwon announced following and
made first street canvassing.
A starting declaration of Kwon Young Ghil, a progressive candidate of
Korea
People's Victory 21 will drive a "People's judgement campaign on
corrupted politics" during this presidential election.
Who caused HanBo company's scandle? HanBo scandle which drived
Korean economic situation into catastrophe, was caused by Kim Young
Sam's administration, New Korea Party(ruling party) and opposition
political forces. But none of them are responsible for the scandle.
Moreover Kim Hyun Chul, a second son of President, has been released
and corrupt politicians who received black money at that time are again
going on with plutocracy.
The legally limited election-expense which can be paid by established
conservative parties is about 150000000$(US). This amount is not little
with facing a national whole crisis. But real amount of their
election-expense is more than the legally limited one. It will be
unimaginable one. We know clearly where the money come from.
People's Victory 21 will drive a People's judgement campaign on
corrupted politics in order to cut a bad connection between economy and
politics.
People's Victory 21 will drive a national referendum campaign for
defending financial real name system and opposing legally reasonable
dismissal.
We will make this presidential election a political stage which each
candidate is competing with his policies. Only People's Victory 21 has
the rightest alternative plans.
The financial real name system comes to a crisis of disappearance. The
typhoon of legally reasonable dismissal will come soon in the name of
economic crisis. People's Victory 21 and Kwon Young Ghil are going to
drive a national referendum campaign for defending financial real name
system and opposing legally reasonable dismissal during this presidential
election.
People's Victory 21 will make people who are discouraged because of
national whole crisis hopeful by pleasant election campaign.
We will drive a pleasant election campaign with people. People's Victory
21 will make this election a political stage to act in common with the
people, to revive our country, to create working people's hope &
pleasure.
We, all the activists of People's Victory 21 are going to thread our way
through the crowd, and hold spot debating societies which speak for
people's real intention. We will make these spot debating societies small
festivals in which all the people such as men, women, the young and the
old get together. With these kinds of election campaign, we will make a
opportunity for people to step forward as a real political subject.
People's Victory 21 will drive a election campaign which can prepare
Korean society's future of the 21st century.
The 21st century will be a era of democracy and progress. Far-right
forces and conservative ones are not reasonableness of history. We
oppose rebuilding of political powers for defending vested rights, and
also oppose an illicit connection among conservative forces in the name
of a change of political powers.
One vote for Kwon Young Ghil, a candidate of People's Victory 21, is
not a dead one at all. A vote for conservative candidates among whom
there is no political differences will come back to us as a blade that
force out our family into the street. On the contrary, A vote for People's
Victory 21 & Kwon Young Ghil is sure to be a investment for our
future.
People's power which get together in this presidential election will be a
basis of founding a new progessive political force in Korea.
For these aims, we will do the best.
November 26th, 1997
Presidential Candidate of People's Victory 21,
Kwon Young Kil
2. Quick news of the struggles of workers and people in Korea
Federation of Democratic Taxi Workers' Union, go on a strike on
December 2nd demanding 'minimum wage proper to working time'.
FDTWU had a press interview and announced that they would go on a
national strike if the Ministry of Construction and Transportation ordered
company to pay complete salary. They insisted that for the safe and
comfortable taxi, it is necessary to guarrtee of minimum wage proper to
working time. Bae Sukbom, vicarious deputy of KCTU, said, "we will
take an intensive action to support taxi workers."
Federation of Hopital Workers decided national strike
On November 19th, combatant policemen raided on striking hospital
workers and arrested 117 unionists in Hanyang Univ. Hospital. After this
attack, leaders of FHW and students started a sit-down. FHW demands
reappointment of dismissed ex-unionleader Cha, release of all the
arrested, government's apology on the violent raid.
Federation of Democratic Metal Union demands 'the withdrawl of 3000
personnel cut by Halla Heavy Industries'
Yesterday, Halla Heavy Industries announced that they would dismiss
3000 workers for downsizing. FDMU insisted that this was an attempt to
solve the crisis by the sacrifice of workers. And also, FDMU said,
"Halla must solve the crisis on the basis of stability of employment and
government must also make measures such as Special Law for the
Stability of Employment."
Downsizing plan of Halla is starting a large dismissal among companies
after the application for financial rescue of IMF. Samsung, largest
conglomerate in Korea, also announced -30% downsizing and 34 spinoff.
After the application for financial rescue of IMF, government and
management intend to carry out anti-worker policies such as worker
dispatch law(casualisation of labor), dismissal for restructuring(this was
postponed for 2 years by the General Strike), freezing of wage or wage
control in 3% increase for 5 years. KCTU are preparing actions against
these policies which impose the economic crisis resulting from the failure
of economic policy and bad management on workers.
There will be 5% of unemployment rate next year.
3. 10 Major pledges of PV21
4 - Pledges on social welfare
Social Welfare Revolution! Protection of Basic Rights of People!
1. We will increase the budget for social welfare to 20% of total budget,
so that we might guarrantee the basic rights in the sphere of education,
health care, housing etc.
- Without increase of the budget for social welfare, living standards
couldn't improve. The rate of social welfare budget in the total budget
has never been over 10%, and in the next year' budget allocation, social
welfare budget occupies only 9.7%.
- Until 2002, we will increase social welfare budget to 20%. We can do
this by cutting overallotted budget such as 15 billion dollars' defence
expenditure, and wasteful budget for the National Security Planning
Center or highspeed train.
2. We will guarrantee all the people's social security, and increase
welfare pay to the degree of minimum wage.
3. We will integrate four social insurance and democratise fund
management.
- There are four social insurances such as retirement pension, health
insurance, workers' accident compensation insurance, employment
insurance, but all of which are managed individually. This structure
costs very much and is wastful. It is necessary to unify these social
insurances.
- We will guarrantee the participation of people, who are beneficiary of
social insurance, in management of the social fund.
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