Korean Unions Help Defeat Martial Law, Strike to Demand Impeachment of President

From UE News | Photo Courtesy of KCTU Facebook Page | UE News Reuse Policy

UPDATE, 12/14: The South Korean parliament voted 204 to 85 to impeach President Yoon on Saturday, December 14. “The power of workers and citizens that prevented unconstitutional martial law and achieved Yoon’s impeachment must now be directed towards achieving major social reforms,” KCTU said in a statement.

On the evening of December 3, South Korea’s right-wing president Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, citing threats from “anti-state forces.” The order banned all political activity, strikes, and “gatherings that incite social unrest.” The first deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, Hong Jang-won, later revealed to lawmakers that the Yoon had ordered him to detain a list of people including Yang Kyeung-soo, the president of the militant and democratic labor federation Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, which has 1.2 million members.

Following the announcement, hundreds of Korean citizens, including many KCTU members, defied the ban on political activity, gathering at the parliament building where 190 lawmakers were able to enter the building and pass a unanimous motion rejecting Yoon’s imposition of martial law. Several hours later, Yoon rescinded his order.

KCTU subsequently announced an indefinite general strike “until Yoon’s government steps down.” On December 5, members of the Korean Metal Workers Union carried out two-hour warning strikes at GM Korea, Hyundai Motor, and other shop throughout the metalworking sector. The Korean Railway Workers Union also struck on the 5th.

On Saturday, December 7, the opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in Parliament, brought forward a resolution to impeach Yoon. Despite condemnation of the attempted coup by Yoon’s own People Power Party, PPP delegates boycotted the vote, leaving the opposition eight votes short of being able to impeach the President.

KCTU has continued to call for Yoon to step down or be impeached. As KMWU International Director Hyewon Chong wrote in a public Facebook post, “We do not know when a second martial law might be declared.”

On Wednesday, December 11, tens of thousands of KMWU members struck for four hours at Kia Motors and other factories, leaving their plants and going to local PPP headquarters to demand that party’s members of parliament participate in a second impeachment vote. Today, December 12, 10,000 KCTU members rallied in the national capital of Seoul, marching to the presidential residence in Hannam-dong to demand that Yoon resign.

A second impeachment vote is scheduled for Saturday, December 14.