KCTU Goes on General Strike in S. Korea

  Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- The south Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) went on a general strike in unison in 12 regions on Dec. 16 in protest against the fascist suppression and unpopular rule by the conservative ruling quarters.
    The general strike involved 150 000 persons including the unionists of 26 companies under the KCTU.
    About 5 000 unionists from Seoul, Inchon, Kyonggi Province and south Korean Kangwon Province rallied near the building of the "National Assembly" in Seoul before going into the general strike.
    The senior vice-chairman of the KCTU said at the rally it is time to stand up against the authorities with action and struggle now that they have reached the extremity in their moves for the retrogressive revision of the labor law.
    The representatives of the metal workers trade union, the public transport trade union, the healthcare service trade union and other industrial trade unions declared in their speeches that many industrial trade unions turned out in the general strike, contrary to the authorities' prediction that the KCTU would no longer wage a struggle with its chairman detained.
    A resolution was read out at the rally.
    The participants marched to the building of the economists association, denouncing the regime and plutocrats for seeking the retrogressive revision of the labor law.
    Timed to coincide with it, Pusan and Ulsan headquarters of the KCTU held similar rallies.
    The regional headquarters of the KCTU held demos and conducted information services following the rallies in Inchon, Kwangju, Taejon, Taegu, Jeju Island, North Chungchong, South Kyongsang and North Jolla provinces. -0-

Park Geun-hye, Step Down!

The action of south Korean people of every degree against the misgovernment of the south Korean authorities is getting fiercer.

The second all-out people’s action was held in Seoul on December 5 in the wake of the first all-out people's action had been held on November 14.

Presented there were 50 000 people across south Korea including workers, peasants, youth and students, citizens and religious men.

They wished quick recovery of Baek Nam-ki, a peasant who fell into a critical condition by the water cannon of the riot police in the last action and demanded harsh suppression of the police, check of labor reform and opposition to the “government-censored system of history textbook”.

Through his speech the Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, who is in hiding at the Chogye Order from the police suppression, said that hundreds of people are being arrested, wanted and summoned to the court, the case in the military dictatorship is reproducing, the Nov. 14 action is the most righteous one, we would be suppressed in a certain time but the repressive dictatorial regime would not hinder our action.

At the time, an organization composed of the workers, peasants, the poor and civilians declared that it would launch the third all-out people's action on Dec. 19.

It demanded the resignation of the Park regime, suspension of labor reform, opposition to import of foreign made rice, creation of employment of the youth, discontinuance of withdrawal of street vendors, and railroading of “state censorship of history textbook” for middle and high schools.

What is conspicuous in the rally is that the participants put on masks instead of veil to protest against the bill on prohibition of using veil proposed by the ruling party and Park Geun-hye’s description about the participants as “IS”.

Twenty-four political figures including the opposition parties took part in the rally to march through the street.

After the rally, the participants marched down to the Hospital of Seoul National University where Baek is in the hospital.

Spokesman for C.C., GFTUK Assails South Korean Conservative Authorities' Fascist Crackdown upon People

 Pyongyang, December 2 (KCNA) -- The south Korean conservative ruling group is getting ever more frantic with fascist suppression of people. It is kicking up a whirlwind of wholesale seizure and search operations and arrest against not only the chairman of the south Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and its other leading members but also its headquarters and trade union organizations under it under the absurd pretext that they spearheaded the all-people rallies held in Seoul recently. Meanwhile, courts are demanding heavy penalties for pro- democracy and reunification figures already arrested and detained.
    Even the south Korean chief executive cried out for "severely punishing the backstage forces according to the law and principle", likening the people of various circles who rose up in the action to terrorists of the "Islamic State". Chiming in with her outbursts, the gentries of the "Saenuri Party" are working hard to fake up "a law on combating terrorism", a new fascist law, and "a law on prohibiting the wearing of masks" in a bid to stamp out the progressive democratic forces.
    The south Korean conservative group, in particular, is issuing everyday orders to indiscriminately crack down on the people of various circles who declared their plan to hold the second all-people rallies against the authorities' fascist suppression by mobilizing the "field arrest group" just like the "Paekgoldan" dating back to the period of the military dictatorship, creating a horror-ridden atmosphere.
    A spokesman for the Central Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea issued a statement on Wednesday in this regard.
    The waves of the horrible repressive campaign sweeping south Korea are an unpardonable fascist action against democracy and human rights and a blatant challenge to the public aspiring after justice, patriotism and genuine life, the statement noted, and continued:.
    The actions of the people from all walks of life being staged in south Korea everyday are an eruption of their grudge and resentment against the conservative group which trampled down the justice and truth and drove the people's living and rights into darkness and distress by pursuing sycophancy and treachery, escalating the confrontation with the fellow countrymen in the north, reviving "yusin" dictatorship and enforcing an unpopular rule.
    It is quite natural for the south Korean workers and other people to turn out in the dynamic struggle for defending their rights to existence and democracy, unable to tolerate the conservative ruling forces' treacherous rule.
    What is stunning people all the more is the fact that the fascist dictatorial forces including the Intelligence Service fabricated such confrontational and conspiratorial case as what they called "case of reverend" and are linking it with the DPRK in a bid to intensify the crackdown on the just struggle of the south Korean people of various circles.
    It is the stereotyped method of the south Korean conservative group to crack down on the pro-democracy and reunification forces by fabricating security cases and stir up the confrontation with the DPRK whenever it is driven into a serious ruling crisis.
    The south Korean conservative authorities' smear campaign against the DPRK and brutal fascist tyranny only reveal their true colors as traitors forsaken by the people and their miserable position in which they are floundering in the worst ruling crisis after being marginalized by the public.
    The south Korean conservative authorities should stop at once their fascist crackdown upon the people, drawing a lesson from the miserable end of the preceding dictators who faced a stern judgment by history for desperately enforcing the fascist rule and ratcheting up the confrontation with the DPRK. -0-