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New police raids, more arrests - stop the Korean government's attacks on trade union rights!

22.11.15 Urgent Action
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The increasingly authoritarian government of Korean President Park Geun-hye is stepping up its attacks on trade unions and their rights. Police raided the offices of the KCTU Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU) on November 6, attacked participants in a mass demonstration against regressive new labour legislation on November 14 and followed that up by raiding the offices of 8 KCTU affiliates on November 21. SEND A MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF KOREA!

Two-hundred police raided the office of the KPTU on November 6, seizing documents of the union's Cargo Truckers Solidarity Division (KPTU-TruckSol), whose members transporting products for the food company Pulmone are fighting for union recognition and safe working conditions. Only protests by union members and officers blocked the police from extending the raid to other KPTU offices and the union secretariat. Arrest warrants were also issued and TrucksSol members taken into custody on November 11.

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November 6 - police raid the offices of the KCTU Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU), seizing documents and computers. Arrest warrants are issued and members taken into custody on November 11.

On November 14, police attempted to arrest KCTU President Han Sang-gyun at a press conference prior to using water cannon and pepper spray to attack a mass demonstration in Seoul by unions, farmers and civic groups. The demonstration, the largest in Korea for many years, was organized to protest proposed labour legislation which would facilitate layoffs and expand precarious employment contracts and against the government's support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade agreement which threatens democracy

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And on November 21 police raided 8 offices of the KCTU and its affiliates, seizing computers and documents. The IUF Korea office, located in the building which houses the KPTU, was also raided.

KCTUraidThe government is attempting to silence democratic criticism and force through anti-union legislation and an unpopular trade deal by restricting basic trade union and democratic rights. CLICK HERE to send a message to the authorities protesting the police raids and arrests, demanding the government drop all charges against KCTU President Han Sang-gyun, the KPTU officers and members and all trade unionists targeted in the crackdown, drop the regressive labour law 'reform' and respect the rights to strike and to demonstrate.