KCTU stages sit-in in Myongdong Cathedral

• KCTU Launches Sit-in Calling for Job Security Korea Herald 31.3.98

News direct from the labour movement in Korea:

Interview with candidates for KCTU leadership

• PICIS Newsletter 30.3.98

FKTU, KCTU to merge?

• Rival national trade union centers discuss merger Korea Herald 30.3.98
  KCTU officials said that they will "positively" discuss the proposal as soon as the group inaugurates its new leadership early next month.

Class Struggle in Korea: The Viewpoint of the Fourth International

• Fearful Symmetry: The Class Struggle in Korea by Terry Lawless; International Viewpoint April 1998

ILO Praises "Progress" on Labour Front

• ILO Praises Seoul for Progress on Labor Front Korea Herald 28.3.98

FKTU speaks out against wage cuts

• Unions Criticize Civil Servants' Wage Cut Korea Herald 25.3.98

News direct from the labour movement in Korea:

• International Action Day - coming soon
• Brutality of Inchon Detention House
• Korean Metal Workers Federation demands centralized collective bargaining with employers
• Suspension of indictment on union activists
• 2 million unemployed
• American Chamber of Commerce in Korea ignores ILO standards
• 100,000 public sector workers to join KCTU
• May Day strike proposed

• PICIS Newsletter 23.3.98

Urgent Appeal!

• Urgent Appeal: Professor Lee Jang-hee charged under the National Security Law Labournet 23.3.98

Korean Government tries to quash attempt to organize unemployed!

• Labor Ministry Declares Unions for Unemployed People Illegal Korea Herald 23.3.98
  The Labor Ministry said yesterday that the clause in the recently revised labor law which had allowed the unemployed to form unions had been taken out of the final revision, therefore making unions for the unemployed illegal. The announcement comes as a betrayal to labor unions whose leaders met with the government and management in February to revise the then existing labor law. The deletion of the clause, which was made due to the opposition of a majority of legislators on the National Assembly's Environmental and Labor Committee, is expected to prompt a strong response from the labor community which has been pushing for trade unions for the jobless.

More on efforts by KCTU to organize unemployed

• Organization formed to help unemployed Korea Herald 21.3.98

Korean Metal Workers Federation President Freed

• Metal Workers Federation president freed from prison IMF 18.3.98

Unemployment to reach 2,000,000

• Unemployment to Rise to 2 Mil.: Morgan Stanley Korea Times 18.3.98
  "It the chaebol reform is successful, a further sharp rise in unemployment to 2 million cannot be ruled out," Morgan Stanley said in a report released by its Hong Kong headquarters. It said, "By then, public support for the labor unions may be much broader than it is now," implying that labor disputes will become more intense.

Unions to organize unemployed

• Labor Groups Push for Alliance of Jobless Korea Herald 18.3.98

Unionists launch hunger strike

• PICIS Newsletter

Unemployment crisis deepens

• 40 Pct. of Jobless Get No Severance Pay Korea Times 15.3.98

Only 74 political prisoners freed; over 400 remain behind

Mass amnesty for 5,527,827 people

• NCNP Leaders Propose Second Amnesty Korea Herald 17.3.98

• Over 2,000 Freed from Jail; Dissident Novelist Hwang Among Those Granted Amnesty Korea Herald 14.3.98
  11 labor activists including metal workers' union leader Tan Byong-ho, had their civil rights restored or their remaining terms repealed.

• Over 5 Mil. People Granted Amnesty Korea Times 13.3.98

• South Korea's New Leader Grants Wide Amnesty The New York Times 13.3.98
  The amnesty will lead to the release -- apparently Friday -- of labor leaders convicted of inciting illegal strikes . . .

  "Today's announcement is terribly disappointing," said Suzy Kim, the international secretary for Minkahyup. "The total number of political prisoners to be released is 74. We had submitted a list of 500 who we thought should be pardoned."

• Government Conducts Massive Amnesty Affecting More Than 5 Mil. People Korea Times 13.3.98

Despite appeals from human rights groups in Korea and abroad:

Former Political Prisoner Kim Dae Jung:
National Security Law Will Stay

• South Korea's Security Law to Stay Unless NK Changes Korea Times 12.3.98

Unemployment crisis deepens

• 76% of jobless receive no benefits
• Estimates revised upwards of expected number of unemployed
• 10,000 lose their jobs every day

• Unemployment Seen Surging to 6 Pct Korea Times 11.3.98

• SOUTH KOREA: S.KOREAN JOBLESS RATE TO REACH 6 PCT FOR 1998 Reuters 11.3.98

• SOUTH KOREA: NUMBER OF JOBLESS S.KOREANS TO REACH 1.5 MILLION Reuters 10.3.98

Crisis in the KCTU

Special Report from Seoul

• PICIS Newsletter No. 8 9 March 1998 (Also available at Labournet.)
  "This reveals a crisis within the KCTU, which is the result of a series of processes, announcement of tripartite agreement on Feb 6, rejection to the agreement and decision of general strike on Feb 9, and the cancellation of the strike on Feb 12."

Kim Dae Jung To Grant Mass Amnesty

• Seoul Embraces Democracy, but Political Prisoners Still Languish New York Times 10.3.98
  Some 360 people are now jailed for violating the National Security Law, including two young labor leaders married to each other. The couple, Kim Song-shik and his wife, Moon Soon-Duk, were convicted of praising North Korea and of forming a labor union that was judged an illegal "organization that benefits the enemy" by encouraging conflict within South Korea. "It's pretty absurd," said Jee Yong-mi, a friend of Ms. Moon who is taking care of the couple's 4-year-old son while the parents are in prison. The boy spends his weekends drawing soulful crayon pictures of his parents free and hugging him.

• President Kim to Grant Amnesty Friday Korea Herald 11.3.98

• More Than 30,000 to Be Eligible for Special Amnesty Korea Times 9.3.98

• SOUTH KOREA: S. KOREA PRESIDENT TO GRANT MASS AMNESTY-OFFICIALS Reuters 9.3.98

South Korea's Largest Industrial Union Recognized

• Largest Industrial Union Launched Korea Herald 9.3.98
  The nation's largest industrial labor union, claiming a membership of 190,000 mostly in auto and shipbuilding companies, was sanctioned by the government yesterday. The union, formed by 181 individual unions under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), was approved by the Labor Ministry. Accounting for 34 percent of the KCTU's membership of 549,000, the union gathers most of its members from auto makers and shipbuilders nationwide.

Illegal labour practices increase;
Textile workers protest in Seoul and Kwachon

• Labor Complaints Increase Sharply Korea Herald 7.3.98

Union-Buster Named Top Official in New Government

• S.Korea Kia's future unclear after chairman leaves Reuters 5.3.98
  Jin Nyum made headlines last month when he threatened to close down Kia Motors if workers dared strike. (See this article from 20.2.98 for details.) Today, he's been named to head the new budget office of President Kim Dae Jung.

KCTU to be legalized

• KCTU to Be Legalized Next Month Korea Times 5.3.98

Meet Lee Ki-ho -- South Korea's New Labour Minister

• Only member of Kim Young Sam's cabinet to remain
• Played key role in tripartite negotiations
• KCTU and FKTU reportedly backed his candidacy

• Profile Korea Times 3.3.98

Latest update direct from Seoul!

• Reports on labour martyrs, Mando strike called off, organizing the unemployed, strike at Samsung, and why Kim Dae Jung's amnesty of political prisoners is meaningless unless the National Security Law is scrapped. PICIS Newsletter 2.3.98

Kim Dae Jung Promises Prisoner Amnesty Soon - But Who Will Be Included?

• Kim to Grant Amnesty to Mark Inauguration Korea Herald 2.3.98
  There have been reports that President Kim may grant a sweeping pardon, which also will benefit the so-called "prisoners of conscience," including aging former dissidents and Communists who are serving long prison terms.

• Presidential Amnesty Due Following Cabinet Appointment Korea Times 1.3.98