Urgent press conference of women and civil society groups to oppose privatization of Korean railway and to condemn violent repression of Korean Railway Worker's union (KRWU)and Korean Confederation of Trade Union (KCTU)

Condemn strongly violent repression of Korean Confederation of Trade Union and Korean Railway Worker's Union!

President Park GuenHye should stop privatization of Korean railway!

 Last 22th, unprecedented development occurred. Government mobilized thousands of police force and raided building of Korean Confederation of Trade Union breaking down glass doors in the lobby and shooting tear-gas, in order to interrupt KRWU’s strike for stopping privatization of Korean Railway. In the name of arrest of members of executive body of KRWU, police broke into office of KCTU, destroyed office fixtures and took people in the office indiscriminately, the court rejected search and seizure warrant though. However executive body members of KRWU were not in the building of KCTU. Eventually, government and police pushed ahead with forcible invasion illegally with no justification. Moreover, police used violence with a water cannon and tear-gas brutally against citizen who had gathered to support for struggle against privatization of Korean railway and forcible invasion of police.

 Such a conduct of government and police is actually violence against KCTU and labor movement and illegal repression of a just collective action of union members. Also it can be the same as expression of will to repress, with violence, people’s voice of opposition to privatization of Korean railway. We strongly condemn Park Geun Hye government, a government of communication-less and violence, to respond with violence to people’s demand and a just struggle of workers to preserve publicness. 

 Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) and government have released 8500 union members of KRWU from their position, have filed cases against 200 union members and have issued an arrest warrant for 30 union members. Even one person was killed in railway accident arising from putting in substitute workers forcedly. Nevertheless government and KORAIL attribute the blame onto union and press ahead the repression. But most of the people support the strike of KRWU to stop privatization of Korean railway, and also approval rating of Park Geun Hye government, which is consistent in repression and untruth against voice to demand for stop of privatization, is dropping sharply.  

 Government insist that its plan to separate SuSeo KTX from Korail into independent subsidiary company is not privatization, though Lee Cheol, former president of KORAIL, has even spoken the point that government comment doesn’t make any sense. 

Besides, last June the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs had said that it planned to gradually separate cargo, vehicle repair, and maintenance after separation of SuSeo KTX. Park Geun Hye government deceive people as burying its head in the sand, just like Lee Myoeng Bak government which deceived about Grand Canal project as if it was a four-river refurbishment project.  

 Railroad is an essential mean of transportation and distribution which has direct connection with lives of people. Looking at other countries case like UK, it is well known that privatization of railway results in destroying lives of ordinary people and threatening the security caused by monopolization of few enterprises, rise in cost, fare hike, and abolition of deficit railroad. The worst part is that attempt to privatization is not only in railroad, but in gas, water, electricity, and medical care, privatization is being pushed ahead at high speed. It is most likely that the reason behind why government pushes through privatization of railway, pressing ahead with brutal invasion is because government believes that accomplishment of rail way will pave the way for privatization of other public sectors. therefore, stopping privatization of railway is not only for railway but a start to stop privatization of other public sectors. 

 We again condemn Park Geun Hye government strongly that push through privatization seeking for interest of government and capital, not taking care about lives of people and safety and respond with violence to demand from people and a just strike of KRWU. Such a conduct of Park Geun Hye government, consistent with repression and violence and proud of communication-less, can’t but be regarded as desperate action of Park Geun Hye government on the defensive owing to fraudulent election mobilized the National Intelligence Service for comment maneuver. Park Geun Hye government and KORAIL should stop violent repression and arrests and withdraw privatization plan of railway including independent separation of SuSeo KTX! Women and civil society groups here today strongly support for strike struggle of KRWU and KCTU to stop privatization of railway, and will fight with them till Park Geun Hye government and KORAIL accept our demand.  

December 23th, 2013

Woman and civil society groups to call for stop of railway privatization and to condemn of violent repress of KRWU and KCTU

Woman affair of committee for the political party of the working class, ELOOM-anti-sex trafficking and action for human right, People’s Solidarity for Social Progress, JIJI-human right group for sex workers, UNNI network, GongGam-Women with Disabilities Empathy, Network for Glocal Activism 

SaengSaeng women labor activism (Federation of Korea Trade Unions/ Women Committee of Korean Confederation of Trade Union/ Korean Women’s Association United/ Womenlink/ Korean Women Worker’s Association/ National Women Solidarity/ Korean Women’s Trade Union/ Committee for Women right of MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society/ Woman Labor Law Support Center/ Women committee of Worker’s Solidarity)