special issue 3.

Centripetal force of women workers' unity opening
a new century




Hae Jeong Kim
A member of the Ansan & Sihung unit of the KWTU



On August 29, it was a sunny and fine day. From early dawn, the members of the KWTU from all over the country walked quickly to the Yurim Center. Carrying their lunch boxes decorated with different-colored flags, to illustrate the unity of each group, the members of KWTU from all over the country gathered in the Yurim Center.

Unlike at other meetings, women carried their to gather together to help each other restore lost confidence. For the actual final question, I asked about the present number of members. She told me that the target number for the opening day was 380.

She added that this number disappointed reporters as the number children proudly, some on their backs and some walking together with their kids.

There was a national assembly of the KWTU on the opening day. We set down the rules by which we will operate, elected our leaders, and established regional KWTUs which will lead us from the end of this century to the new century. The KWTU was born.

A beautiful swan on a lake must busily move its legs under the water. It was possible to launch our KWTU on the back of the hot activity of the summer of our members and union leaders. Face-to-face we shared the warm friendship which concluded our assembly. The memorial ceremony for the late Kyoung Sook Kim followed.

In the ceremony, we all felt hot and had solemn hearts. The spirit exemplified by the late labor militant was refreshed in us and the ideals of rebuilding a benevolent world were strengthened.

"Well, let's begin the opening ceremony for the KWTU and the Women Workers' Han Madang which will be a new chapter in the history of women workers!"

The opening ceremony, which started with this announcement from the great voice of the M.C., was followed by the march of our flags.


Seoul, never giving up; Kwangju, a city of revolution; Inchon, the city of efficiency and effort; Pusan, the southernmost city with lots of passion; Ansan & Sihung, started last but want to arrive first, the running city; Iksan & Cheonju, the city of the best taste (and a unit of very talkative married women); Masan & Changwon, insisting that the best way to achieve is to cover every mile by foot - the more energy, the greater the reward. Where there exist women workers, all those flags will follow.

The flag of liberation, the flag of equality, the flag of women workers' unity, and the flag of the KWTU!

The flag of KWTU went at the front. There were congratulatory speeches by the representatives from the FKTU, KCTU, Korea Women's Associations United, and the Asia Women's Committee, coming from over the sea, who added their heartfelt congratulations to the consolidation of the KWTU which will be opening a new page in our history.

The speeches were followed by a program, which was provided by the participants, and the Han Madang. We enjoyed the picture drawn by the artist In Soon Kim, KWTU song made by the Women Songsters, the passionate dance by the "Youth of Bare Feet" formed by married women, and so on.

The slide show entitled "Wild flower, fire flower, your name is a woman worker!" encouraged women workers to feel the great power within them which could change the world. The launch of the KWTU!

Let's open the gate to a new century with our passion in perfect order! Let's pass on the world we want to make to our daughters! And let's make a unity of the 4.8 million unorganized women workers through the newly set-up KWTU!

The KWTU, which will organize the new way, assisted by both the hearts of mothers and a passion hot enough to heat a smelting furnace.

The KWTU, which will be shaped by our hands, will provide a venue for the women workers' sighs and tears like the shade under the tree which keeps quiet vigil of our home town.



Korea Working Women's Network 1999
Posted by KWWA
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