Life story written by Park, Min-na "Let's take the first step now."
The clean and fresh water of the Tamjin river is really beautiful. Living amongst the severe air and water pollution that exists everywhere in the gray city of Seoul, Mi-ryong remembers this place more fondly. Mi-ryong, who is now 43 years old, still becomes extremely emotional as adulthood approaches and she looks back nostalgically on her childhood spent near the Tamjin river. Her Revolutionary Characteristics stem from her father Her hometown, Kak-gol village, Chichon-ri, Pusan-nyon, Janghung- koon, South Cholla province was a small village located deep in the mountains with 40 households, most bearing the family name, Lim. In the early 50s, this war-torn city was occupied by police by day and communist partisans by night. During the war, many people were killed. Although the police viewed the communist partisans as worthless beggars, Mi-ryong's father had a good impression of them. Over the long period of time in which he worked, he always saw them pay village folks for their meals. Thus, he maintained his criticism on the distorted and unjust characteristics of Korean society throughout his life. Mi-ryong believes her revolutionary characteristics originate from her father. She was born on March 21, 1957, as the youngest daughter amongst four daughters and three sons. Although her family was poor, her father did not want his children to experience any difficulties while growing up. Even her grown-up siblings lived together. As a result, she does not remember any difficulties in her childhood. Since Mi-ryong loved reading, she spent many hours in her school library reading fairy tales, as if it were her own room. Mi-ryung was a class leader and she dreamed of becoming a school teacher. However, because her family was poor, she had to give up studying in junior high school. She complained to her parents "Why do we have to be so poor?" But, after listening by chance to her parent's worries that they could not support her studies, she stopped urging them to send her to school. Later, she obtained her academic qualification after matriculating from an open high school. After her younger brother went to junior high school, she lived with him in town to support him. She worked in a mushroom factory in town to earn his tuition and support their living costs. She experienced the inhumane and poor working conditions and the deeply unfair treatment under which workers must work. Since her father taught her the difference between right and wrong, she always spoke out candidly despite her young age. However one day, she was dismissed while protesting about her unfair job shift. She did not know how to appeal on behalf of her rights, and she felt she was the victim of a false accusation. In 1977, when her brother entered Kwangju Commercial High School, she moved to Kwangju with him and started working at the Namhae Fishing Net Co. which employed about 200 workers at that time. Working conditions were poor, workers had two shifts, and turnovers were high. Many workers joined the JOC. Just several days after she entered the company, a trade union was set up. Working for 10 years as a union president I think a meeting destined to happen occurs much like this: her co-worker, Kim Nam-soon who worked next to her was as an active JOC member and union president in the company. While working, Namsoon had discussions about labor issues with her all the time. However, since she believed that issues related to the agricultural sector were more severe, they carried out long debates. When she realized it was difficult to win against Namsoon who was a trained union president, she bought and read books related to agriculture to make her claims. Namsoon liked Mi-ryong's sincere and active attitude. That summer, she was nominated as general secretary of the union, which was her starting point in the union movement. In addition, she was impressed by a remark that "a worker is more valuable than any other thing in the world." made by Cardinal Kardin, which encouraged her to join and play an active role in JOC. At that time, she was 20 years old. During the "Kwangju Revolution" in 1980 Mi-ryong was in Kwangju. One year before, she was elected as a union president with a three year term and she was a JOC president, as well. Since she played a core role in the revolution, it was not documentary history but an on-the-spot history to her. Because of her brother's graduation from the high school, she lived in the company's dormitory. She went to the Province Hall to do her best in the revolution. In that May, full of "responsibility without any fear", she kept her eyes on the street where a huge number of armed soldiers patrolled around. She cherishes memories such those of Kwangju that May. Mi-ryong was elected as the second union president in 1979 and was so highly trusted by her union members. She held this position for 10 years. At the initial stage, because the company did not allow full-time staff for the union, she had a difficult time. Additionally, the company did not even provide space for a union office. Therefore, the union had to be located in an empty room in the dormitory. However, it became a chance to get close to union members on a daily base. She made the company president who slapped her on her cheek apologize to her before union members Mi-ryong is strong and just. She never steps back when she finds something wrong. She is stubborn. She looks very gentle in appearance, but she is sturdy in spirit. She was collected and assertive while pointing out essential points during their preparations conducting collective bargaining and negoti- ations with management. Through her market survey, she found that her company's products have a higher quality than any other. The stingy owner who set up the company with his bare hands took strong pride in producing top-degree quality products. She highlighted this point in her argument "the role of workers is to produce high quality products. The company plays the role of generating high sales in the market with well-planned marketing and capital. Why should only workers shoulder the company's deficits? Shouldn't the company take any responsibility?" Thus, the trade union usually gained good results. The company started openly spreading the rumor that the factory was not able to be run because of her. In 1986 and 1987, she had a difficult time because there were some conflicting perspectives between the strong struggles she helped wage and those acceptable by the company. However, during collective bargaining and negotiations, the owner slapped her on the cheek. She took a resolved attitude. Immediately, she brought the case to the local Ministry of Labor and started a collective action. At that time, workers often experienced sexual harassment at the workplace, so union members were united. Finally, the owner was forced to apologize to her in front of all the union members. Over the 10 year periods that she was an union president, the owner had to do quite a lot. In 1987 she served as the head of the Educational Department in the Kwangju Trade Unions' Association where she continued carrying out educational training and solidarity activities for other unions on strike as well as working for her union. Although she was somewhat over the marriageable age, she firmly believed that she was married to the union movement. However one day, a man made a "sudden" proposal to her. He believed she was his "Miss Right!" after seeing her in a educational training for workers. "How many women are sincere and gentle at the same time?" he thought to himself. After that, he often called on her and always waited for her in front of her house, no matter how late she returned home. She often felt lonely when she did not see him in front of her house. She came to feel that he was a sincere person. She felt it was just as good and comfortable to be single as marrying a man with such diligent and reasonable characteristics, so she got married in the Namdong Cathedrale in Kwangju on November 27, 1988. She buried her oldest child in her heart 1989 reminds her of one of the worst years of her life. While she was extremely busy waging struggles for raising wages and supporting strikes for other unions, she was pregnant. But, she did not take care of herself. Her premature baby was born mentally retarded as if her baby was protesting against her. Since the company gave notice of its shop closure to the local Labor Committee because of her, she did not have a time to take care of her baby. Her baby was raised by his grandmother, but died in her absence at home when he was around one year old. She was shocked by his death. She strictly criticized herself because she attributed his death to herself. She decided to make an agreement with the company as a result of her continuous agony. When she asked the company "can you operate the factory if I am not here?" the company promised that it would try to continue its operation even though the company was in a desperate situation with that, she ended her job, and several days later, she went to Seoul. She was so disappointed and depressed that she had no intention to work any longer. She wanted to run away from what she had done. Because her husband was dismissed, her decision was not difficult to carry out. Her second pregnancy occurred not long after she settled in Seoul. She was so concerned that her baby grew healthy in her womb that she stayed at home. She gave birth to a beautiful daughter. However, it is not true that she did not face conflict. It was not easy for someone like her who had worked with the trade union with her fullest effort, to forget everything about unions within a short time. So, she said to herself that she would try to do her best to find out what she was able to do. Returning to trade union work after delivering two daughters After delivering another daughter two years later, she had to enter the labor market. Her husband's small business with his brother encountered hardships, so their livelihood was becoming difficult. However, she could not easily find a job. She worked as an insurance saleswoman for two years. She also worked as an assistant in a restaurant, as a saleswoman selling children's books and a home-based worker in the garment industry. She experienced the difficulties of being a mother, a wife whose partner is not so economically reliable, and a cheap and irregular female worker in the labor market. During this period, she thought of the meaning of Divine Providence as a Catholic. "If I didn't have such sudden difficulties in my life in Seoul, I may still have continued carrying out my work in the movement based on stubborn principles. Are these unbearable difficulties that God brought me designed to make me become His better worker?" She realized that she needed a new turning point in her life. When the factory where she worked closed down because of financial difficulties, she felt her limitation as a factory worker. She visited the Seoul Women Workers Association which she already knew of. She then made the decision to be a friend of women who are largely ignored and mistreated in society, and to take "labor consultations for working women." How to organize irregular women workers was the most urgent issue in the women' workers movement under a situation in which their numbers have increased rapidly. The necessity for the formation of a women's trade union was discussed as an alternative solution and proceeded sincerely and carefully, thus, her appearance was perfect timing. Performing women's trade union work is not easy, not only because it is a new form of union organizing different from existing company-based and industry-based trade unions, but also because it requires a strong personnel and financial base. She made up her mind to reflect on the new form of the movement, her activities as a union president for 10 years and the experiences accumulated in her life at home and in society. She emphasizes that the female union movement is the only way to solve women's problems under the current Korean situation. In the end of a labor event, when she sang the "Song for Comrades", she could not stop shedding her tears. The Formation of WTUSR On the last January 10, WTUSR was established and given its certificate from the government. It already has over 100 members. In her interview with me, some women visited her and often asked for telephone counseling. The more engaged she becomes, the stronger she feels the necessity for the women's union. Her smile becomes brighter when she sees a woman in her 50s enroll as a member and open a new chapter in her life. She reacts passively when she explains that she wants to rely on others and feels frustrated and regretful about her seemingly depressing reality. Now, she has hope that every last women can lead the female trade union movement, and that women workers can develop a comprehensive understanding of society, take agency over the direction of their lives, and finally earn the respect they deserve in society. She strongly believes that society as well as her individual self can be advanced if she pursues her philosophy of life and leads a sincere and active life. Last Summer, she had a long talk with her husband in memory of the 10th anniversary of their marriage. Her husband confessed that he was able to trust people through her. He grasped her hands to express his heart. He said that he felt thankful to her because she has always been with him with great patience over the past 10 years. On the contrary, she feels grateful to him because he is always helpful. He does the housework and he is a very gentle father to their children. She hopes he who is now unemployed finds a job so that he can work with joy. She wishes that her two daughters maintain their present brightness and health. What she eagerly desires is to work together with those whom she carries out activities for making a beautiful, joyful and happy world. |