IMC India - South Korea: Migrant Workers are Fighting!!

South Korea: Migrant Workers are Fighting!!
By KCTU/ETU-MB 17/01/2004 At 16:30

On November 15, about 100 migrant workers occupied Myeongdong cathedral’s compound in downtown Seoul. By this means we want to protest against government’s policy of manhunt and mass deportation.
During WSF we organize for the International Action Day for migrant workers in Korea on January 28.

migrants are not used cups or batteries

nov 15, the beginning of the occupation

the first rally there

the first party...

guard on nightshift

creative protest

solidarity demo for our struggle, around 1000 joined

struggle culture festival on our occupied site

protest in downtown seoul

dec 13, anti-war rally - of course we joined!

dec 18, international migrant's day, demo in seoul

dec 31, short before the confrontation with the cops

migrant workers at the east sea, also known as sea of japan

celebrating "two month of occupation"

An estimated 800 foreign workers are protesting in groups through the nation against the government crackdown and new foreign labor system in Korea. About 100 migrant workers organized in ETU-MB are now staging sit-in struggle in makeshift camp outdoor for almost 63 days in this cold winter. Not only participating their own sit-in struggles, they also have strongly taken part in major demonstrations against war and general workers oppression in Korea. Their main demands are achieving a ‘Working Visa’ not a ‘Work Permit’ and a legalization of all undocumented migrant workers. They also are asking government to stop crackdown and deportation to ‘illegal, therefore hidden’ migrant workers. The answer: On January 7 after a rally in Seoul immigration and riot police blocked, attacked them and captured two activists!Background -What do they fight for?1. Abolish Industrial Trainee System!The Industrial Trainee System (ITS) in Korea is one of the notorious forms of exploitation of migrant workers. The ITS is a kind of official way of entering a korean labour market for migrant (foreign) workers. Under this scheme, many migrant workers, especially from south asian countries, are being sent to Korea not only to make money but also to learn a advanced technologies and skills. This scheme(ITS) guarantees 3 years legal staying in Korea as a trainee not a legal worker. After 3 years, contract says, ‘trainees’ must go back to their country. If they don’t, they shall become a ‘illegal migrant workers’. The reason Korea have adopted this scheme is to prevent migrant workers from becoming permanent ones and control their stay in the host countries. As trainees, they are not entitled to privileges enjoyed by regular employees. Worse, they are not really ‘trainees’ because they perform the same jobs that regular workers do. And even if their expected output is as high as that of regular employees, they receive much less than the normal wages. They do not have any bargaining power with employers; neither do they receive protection from local unions or state regulatory bodies. They are exploited because they are not ‘legitimate’ workers. Needless to say, despite of working in 3D(dirty, difficult, dangerous jobs) work field, their working condition is also terrible. Long labour hours, verbal and physical abuses, low wages are well known to Korean society. This is why undocumented workers are increasing in recent period. They keep fleeing from officially appointed workplace, looking for better conditions. Of course, small and medium size korean company take advantage of their undocumented status. Even though recently Korean government’s bill has been passed in to law, which will introduce Employ Permit System that will co-exist with ITS, there’s no guarantee that EPS could improve the condition of migrant workers in any dramatic way. The main point of EPS is that government will control employers as they apply strict standard to hire migrant workers, and through that, they intend to make the working environment improved for migrant workers. 2. Stop Crackdown/Manhunt and Deportation!7 Migrant Workers took their life away themselves. Due to the pressure of crackdown and deportation, seven migrant workers, from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Russia, Uzbekistan, took suicide last year. However, the bad news is that all 290,000 illegal migrant workers, comprising 80% of migrant workers employed at local industrial firms, will have to leave the country sooner or later. The Ministry of Justice, in an effort to reduce the more than 300,000 people residing illegally, is allowing migrant workers who have overstayed their visa for less than 4 years to apply for work permit. Some 148,000 workers who have stayed korea for more than 3 years must leave the country before the middle of November. About 107,000 other workers who have been here less than 3 years will be given a chance to change their status of sojourn. But they should exit Korea and will be allowed to return to complete the remaining period to 5 years starting from that date of first entering to Korea. Now those who have not yet been registered or have overstayed for longer than 4 years became a target of ruthless crackdown and forced deportation. Due to the pressure of several crackdowns and deportations, four migrant workers, from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Russia, Uzbekistan, took suicide last year. In the course of crackdown and deportation, people may guess, human rights are easily violated. A number of ‘illegal’ undocumented migrant workers have hidden themselves as a way of avoiding manhunt and deportation. It’s obvious that they can’t lead a proper and decent living those environment.

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