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27 February, 2001Outraged at the continued repression of protesting Daewoo workers in Korea, the IMF has sent a strong message to the Kim government and is again asking its affiliates to do likewise.
KOREA REP./GLOBAL: Most IMF affiliates are well aware of the current crisis situation at the Pupyong plant of Daewoo Motor Co. We are certainly all outraged at last week's heavy-handed repression by riot police of the peaceful occupation of the plant by the Daewoo autoworkers and their families, who were protesting the dismissal of a further 1,785 workers.
In a letter sent to South Korea's president, Kim Dae-jung, on behalf of the 23 million metalworkers represented by IMF unions, Marcello Malentacchi, IMF general secretary, expressed his outrage at police violence as well as the arrests of Daewoo union leaders.
"Although the IMF understands there are problems facing a number of Korean companies, including Daewoo," writes Malentacchi, "these were caused by management errors, government policy and international financial markets and not the workers. Yet it is they who are being forced to bear the cost... Your government has continued the practice of past military governments, using widespread arrests to crush workers' protests. I urge you to stop any further arrests and to immediately release arrested union leaders. Instead of using police force to advance the programme of Daewoo creditors and transnational corporations, we urge you to use the resources of your State to find a constructive solution through the promotion of dialogue between the parties concerned."
To increase support for the Korean Daewoo workers, the IMF is again encouraging its affiliates to write similar protest letters to:
President Kim Dae-jung
Chung Wa Dae 1 Chung-ku
Seoul, Korea
Fax: ++82-2-770-0202
and/or organise demonstrations in front of Korean embassies and consulates in the respective countries.
An example of such actions will take place tomorrow, March 1, in Sydney, Australia. The IMF-affiliated Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union is organising a protest in front of the Korean consulate, with widespread media coverage throughout the country.
Kindly keep the IMF informed of your actions.
In a letter sent to South Korea's president, Kim Dae-jung, on behalf of the 23 million metalworkers represented by IMF unions, Marcello Malentacchi, IMF general secretary, expressed his outrage at police violence as well as the arrests of Daewoo union leaders.
"Although the IMF understands there are problems facing a number of Korean companies, including Daewoo," writes Malentacchi, "these were caused by management errors, government policy and international financial markets and not the workers. Yet it is they who are being forced to bear the cost... Your government has continued the practice of past military governments, using widespread arrests to crush workers' protests. I urge you to stop any further arrests and to immediately release arrested union leaders. Instead of using police force to advance the programme of Daewoo creditors and transnational corporations, we urge you to use the resources of your State to find a constructive solution through the promotion of dialogue between the parties concerned."
To increase support for the Korean Daewoo workers, the IMF is again encouraging its affiliates to write similar protest letters to:
President Kim Dae-jung
Chung Wa Dae 1 Chung-ku
Seoul, Korea
Fax: ++82-2-770-0202
and/or organise demonstrations in front of Korean embassies and consulates in the respective countries.
An example of such actions will take place tomorrow, March 1, in Sydney, Australia. The IMF-affiliated Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union is organising a protest in front of the Korean consulate, with widespread media coverage throughout the country.
Kindly keep the IMF informed of your actions.