South Korea: Ssangyong trade unionist's appeal
By Australia Asia Workers Links
August 3, 2010 – On February 13, 2010, Han Sang Kyun, the chairman of the Ssangyong Motor Company Union, was sentenced to four years in prison. Australia Asia Workers Links is campaigning for his release.
Download the updated leaflet here and send your solidarity letter before Han’s final appeal hearing on August 9, 2010. Click here to send your solidarity message to the Korean Metal Workers' Union.
We strongly protest comrade Han’s continued detention, and we demand that he be freed immediately. We echo the Korean Metal Workers' Union call on the Court of Appeals to find Hang Sang Kyun and his 21 other comrades not guilty, and rule in favour of their immediate release.
Han led a 77-day strike at the Ssangyong vehicle manufacturing plant in protest against mass sackings. The company and South Korean government responded with violent police attacks against the strikers and solidarity supporters including the use of chemical agents. They blockaded the workers and denied them food, water and medical aid. The strike ended in August 2009. More information about the strike can be found here and here.
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The president, Korean Metal Workers Union
inter@metal.nodong.org
Dear comrades
We are aware that comrade Han Sang Kyun, chairman of the Ssangyong Motor Company Union was sentenced in February 2010 and is still in jail, because of his union activity during the Ssangyong dispute in 2009. Before his arrest Han Sang Kyun, who was born in 1961, was living with his wife and two school-aged children. Comrade Han led a 77-day strike and occupation at the Ssangyong vehicle manufacturing plant in protest against mass sackings. The company and South Korean government responded with violent police attacks against the strikers and solidarity supporters.
They blockaded the workers and denied them food, water and medical aid. The strike ended in August 2009. We need to defend the right of all workers and genuine unions to organise and take industrial action. The occupation at Ssangyong was conducted in response to the harsh policy of sackings to save company profits at the expense of workers’ jobs. We strongly protest comrade Han’s continued detention, and we demand that he be freed immediately. We echo your call on the Court of Appeals to find Hang Sang Kyun and his 21 other comrades not guilty, and rule in favour of their immediate release. Please let Han Sang Kyun know about our support and solidarity for him, his family and all the members of your union.