Korean union official on hunger strike needs your support

Kim Jungnam, President of the Korean Government Employees’ Union, a PSI affiliate, launched a hunger strike on 15 January in the streets of Seoul outside the offices of the Presidential transition committee and has vowed to continue his hunger strike until the issues facing his union are resolved.

Kim Jungnam is protesting the dismissal of 137 workers, among them the KGEU General Secretary and President. The workers were all dismissed for their trade union activities.

In a recent rally on 19 January, attended by over a thousand KGEU officials, the union called once more on the President-elect and the presidential transition committee for a normalisation of labour relations in the government sector, improvement of working conditions, and freedom of association and trade union rights.

The hunger strike has been on for more than 10 days, but so far, the presidential transition committee has not shown any will or reaction to solve this situation.

PSI fully supports its affiliate's demands and has written a letter of protest to President-elect Park Guenhye calling on her to respect ILO core labour standards including the fundamental right of freedom of association, to reinstate the dismissed workers and recognise the KGEU.

PSI also asks its affiliates to send letters of protest and solidarity through the Labourstart campaign.