TUC letter in protests of the Arrest of KCTU president

HE Dr Yoon-Je Cho
Ambassador
Embassy of the Republic of Korea
60 Buckingham Gate
London
SW1E 6AJ

Dear Ambassador Cho,

Arrest of KCTU president

The TUC strong urges your government to order the immediate release of Mr Lee Suk-haeng, President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and all other imprisoned trade unionists and that all charges against them be dropped. The arrest warrants against all other labour leaders should also be immediately withdrawn.

The TUC has been informed that Mr Lee Suk-haeng was arrested on 5 December at 10:40 pm in connection with his role in organising an allegedly illegal general strike on 2 July 2008 and in organising a solidarity action in support of the E-land Retail Precarious workers' strike in 2007. We understand that Lee Suk-haeng is mainly charged with 'obstruction of business'.

You may recall that on 24 July 2008, arrest warrants were issued against Mr Lee Suk-haeng (KCTU President), Ms Jin Young-ok (KCTU First Vice-president), Mr Lee Yong-shik (KCTU General Secretary), Mr Jung Gab-deuk (KMWU President), Mr Nam Taek-gyu (KMWU First Vice-president) and all six of the top elected officers of the Hyundai Motor Branch, namely Mr Yoon Hae-mo, Mr Kim Tae-gon, Kim Jong-il, Mr Jung Chang-bong, Mr Joo In-koo and Mr Jo Chang-min. The headquarters of the KCTU were surrounded, people searched, and the homes of the KCTU leaders put under surveillance. In one case, a family member was followed and arrested.

The TUC is appalled that trade union leaders are being arrested and detained merely for exercising fundamental workers' rights, such as the right to strike. This right allows workers to demonstrate about social and economic concerns affecting them and fellow workers. We are very concerned about this severe anti-union repression, especially the deprivation of liberty of these trade unionists and in some cases harassment of their family members.

The arrest and trial of trade unionists for exercising their legitimate rights constitutes a gross violation of the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Along with the your government's continued failure to adhere to the recommendations of the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association, such actions are, no doubt, tarnishing the image of your country.

We look forward to receiving updates of positive progress on this very serious matter.

Yours sincerely

Brendan Barber

General Secretary

TUC

Cc: David Miliband, Foreign Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office