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8 December, 1999IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi expresses his great concern about the situation for the Korean trade union movement.
KOREA, REP: In a letter to the president of the Republic of Korea, Kim Dae-jung, IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi "once again" expressed his alarm with regard to the situation of the labour movement in the Republic of Korea.
"On December 7, 1999, at 6 p.m., several hundred riot police stormed the sit-in site of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, attacking numerous peacefully protesting KCTU trade unionists for about half an hour. The riot police then cleared the sit-in site of the trade unionists and stole the cargo container in which the KCTU had been keeping warm.
In the process of the stampede, three KCTU officials, including KCTU General Secretary Lee Soo-ho, were severely injured. Lee was dragged out of the cargo container by the riot police. Due to the rough handling, his left knee was severely twisted and he is now unable to move his left leg."
In response to what Malentacchi describes as a "brutal, uncivilised, unlawful action of the government against peaceful protesters", he strongly urged President Kim Dae-jung, to:
- release all the arrested trade unionists immediately;
- restore the KCTU sit-in site to its original state;
- make an official apology for this action.
"On December 7, 1999, at 6 p.m., several hundred riot police stormed the sit-in site of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, attacking numerous peacefully protesting KCTU trade unionists for about half an hour. The riot police then cleared the sit-in site of the trade unionists and stole the cargo container in which the KCTU had been keeping warm.
In the process of the stampede, three KCTU officials, including KCTU General Secretary Lee Soo-ho, were severely injured. Lee was dragged out of the cargo container by the riot police. Due to the rough handling, his left knee was severely twisted and he is now unable to move his left leg."
In response to what Malentacchi describes as a "brutal, uncivilised, unlawful action of the government against peaceful protesters", he strongly urged President Kim Dae-jung, to:
- release all the arrested trade unionists immediately;
- restore the KCTU sit-in site to its original state;
- make an official apology for this action.