Labor Party Moves to Thwart Privatization (South Korea)

[UpInArms]

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200404/kt2004042221282310160.htm

The Democratic Labor Party (DLP) said on Thursday that it will support union workers’ struggle to block the government’s plan to sell off its stakes in big companies.

``The sales plans are being pushed without the participation of workers,’’ said Song Tae-kyong, a DLP official. ``We will persuade the government (to scrap the plans) to avoid a collision between labor and government.’’

<snip>

`` We want to exclude such investors as Goldman Sachs, Carlyle Group, Hana Bank-led consortium, Dongwon Financial Group and AIG Group from the negotiations,’’ it said. ``If our demands are not met, we will go on a general strike.’’

The government has been pushing to sell off KI&S and DI&S, which each swallowed up 4.3 trillion won and 2.5 trillion won of public funds.

...more...

[David__77]

1. This party should be in power.

The so-called liberals who won the elections recently are just shadows to the extreme-right elements that were thrown out. The DLP is a legitimate progressive voice for a just, sovereign southern Korea.

[Snow]

2. The Uri party is just shadows to the old fart GNP?

Are you able to support that, because that sounds like exaggeration/overstatement to these old ears. Also, you notice who's been selected to head up GNP? Pak Chunghee's daughter, who'd been threatening to join Uri party (sure hope they change that stupid name soon!) - I think she'll be a force for change, although not at once - we're talking conservatives here. She's a school friend of my wife's & is a woman of some integrity, highly respected and very sharp. Things will get even more interesting.

[David__77]

3. On international affairs, I don't see the difference... and labor issues.

While the liberals are nominally more independent, they still bow to Washington dictates in all affairs. It is cowardice to commit troops to this occupation. It's an insult to Korean patriots. I'm sure there are positive aspects, but I just wish that those who claim to be progressives in Korea would uphold real independence for Korea.

[Snow]

4. Look more closely - I see considerable differences.

Noh has been pursuing several lines, especially with North Korea, but also with Japan and China, that have made the US unhappy. The changes in cabinet ministers, cleaning out the old guard, bringing in fresh faces, especially women, betokens considerable change. In my more paranoid moments, and my wife agrees, I think that the pressure and funding for the old farts to do the impeachment dance came from the US - Bolton in particular, but from the usual suspects in general. Gotta keep those bases, gotta keep those customers & colonists.

I'm not really familiar with the labor party - what do they call themselves in Korean, and are they communists or wannabes? There've been a lot of that sort of political groups around since the mid 1800's in Korea, and most of them headed north or changed their stripes after WWII & the end of the occupation.

[David__77]

5. Here is some information.

DLP is probably best described as a democratic and socialist working peoples organization. Its roots are in the peoples movements against dictatorship and the workers movement. In Korean, it is called "Minjunodong Dang." Here is its Korean website:

http://www.pangari.net/

"A pro-labor party that won unprecedented seats in this week's parliamentary elections pledged Friday to submit a bill that would cancel South Korea's planned dispatch of 3,600 troops to Iraq."

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/040416/ap/d81vlm404.html

"Meanwhile, the Democratic Labor Party has become the first left-wing bloc in more than four decades to take seats in parliament."

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/04/20/200404200005.asp

"The DLP supports the withdrawal of the 37,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea and opposes a troop deployment by the country to Iraq. It also calls for a law to collect a high 'wealth tax' from rich people."

http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20040416/320000000020040416062150E1.html

What is DLP

The Working Peoples' Party
The DLP is a political party of workers, peasantry, urban poor, small businessmen, women, students and progressive intellectuals.
It belongs to the working peoples suffering from inequality, discrimination and oppression.
The DLP brings together various progressive forces and individuals yearning for full democracy in the Korean society.
At the same time, the DLP makes an alliance with the progressive movements around the world in opposition to neo-liberalism, militarism and violations of human rights.

A World We Dream
The DLP will establish a progressive political power in order to realize full democracy with participation and autonomy of the people.
In the new millennium we will build a society in which human dignity is respected and people can hope for a better future through people-led politics and democratic economic system.
Our ultimate goal is a society of equality led by workers and the people, where the majority dominates social wealth, where individual creativity and merits are recognized, and where all forms of discrimination are eliminated.
We oppose global speculative capitals and US military hegemony. On the other hand, we promote mutual respect, equality and independence in international relations.
DLP Declaration

2000 marks the beginning of the DLP's effort to sweep away the backward politics filled with corruption and injustice.
The DLP heralds a new era where environment and humans coexist, where men and women are treated equally, and where the weak, like children, senior citizens and the disabled, enjoy equal rights.
Now, we take the first step toward a new era and the better world.
Let us together move forward to put an end to the conservative politics of corruption, oppression and discrimination.

On the launching day, 30 January 2000

History

The labor movement paved the way for DLP. Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) organized a political alliance, Peoples' Victory 21 with the social movements to field its candidates in the 1997 presidential election and in the 1998 local elections.
Succeeding the Peoples' Victory 21, the preliminary Committee for Progressive Party was organized in 1999. This was followed by the launch of DLP in January 2000.
The DLP took up third position in political arena winning 8.1 percent of party vote in the 2002 June local elections. And then, the DLP's candidate, Kwon Youngghil gained 3.9% of votes in the 2002 presidential election.
Currently, the DLP boasts of 30,000 membership and 42 seats in provincial and local assemblies across the nation with no seat in the National Assembly, and occupies two districts in Ulsan City.

Structure

Everyone who shares the ideals and platform of the party is welcome to become a member through proper procedures.
The DLP Congress is held annually to set the direction of the party as well as to decide on its major activities. The congress also elects president, vice-presidents and general secretary every two year.
The DLP holds quarterly Central Committee meetings to assess activities of the party and to approve appointments of officials.
In addition, the DLP holds monthly National Executive Committee and weekly Standing Executive Committee to address day-to-day matters.

Secretariat

The DLP has departments for administration, planning, policy, organizing, training, public relations, international affairs, struggle, IT as well as committee for planning and spokesman in its head quarter.

It also publishes a weekly newspaper, Jinbojungchi and a monthly bulletin, Theory and Practice.

Furthermore, the DLP has special commissions covering labor, peasantry, urban poor, women, youth, anti-corruption, economic democracy, human rights, national reunification, local politics, environment, finance, anti-privatization and political reform.

http://inter.kdlp.org/aboutus.html?PHPSESSID=8b195e6eb49074507df0835d96f6ce1e

[Snow]

6. Thanks. I like the sound of the bunch, and Korea could really use

stronger labor unions. That was also the promise the communists gave, though, and although I'm not against genuine communist philosophy, it didn't really happen in Korea. Hence anyone over age 40 or so has a really bad reaction to 'communist', and 'labor' (which is in the name of the party 'nodong') also has bad associations. So it's a bit surprising they're making gains. However, Noh strikes me as a very decent person - human rights lawyer, self-taught. And my wife knows some of the cabinet people he appointed initially - they're not the old guard conservatives, they're not even Kim Jongpil type people. They might disengage from the US a little more slowly than some of us would like, but it will happen, and this defeat for the Han Nara Dang really helps thatprocess along - besides showing the general unhappiness with the whole impeachment deal, I think it shows that the general public is much more ready for progress. This is still very much a farming, peasant culture, and strongly confucian - so you push too fast & they'll dig in & resist. But they're good people & they'll get there. Just on their own schedule.

[chenGOD]

9. That's a bold statement to make, and I'll disagree with it strongly.

There is a considerable difference between the two parties. Can't get into it right now, as I have to start work in about 10 minutes, but I'll post some thoughts in about an hour.

[Snow]

7. By the way, chenGOD was telling me a coupla weeks ago

about an american business organization that was planning to set up, I don't know, sort of an american business zone in Seoul, I guess south of the Han River somewhere, and that this zone would be an English-only area. There were some other nasty, colonial sorts of things as well. Helps to push the Korean public more to the left.

[chenGOD]

8. That's the AMCHAM plan.

I haven't heard or read much more about it recently. I'm thinking these days that it might be a push to get the more conservative Koreans who live down in Kangnam to be exposed to even more capitalism/consumerism (not that they need any help, Apkujeong is ridiculous for rampant consumerism). Also it might be a push to keep a primarily English zone for when the troops are pulled out of Yongsan.

Who knows though, that's pure speculation.