Greetings,

This is a letter from a very concerned citizen in Seoul, South Korea. My name is ___. I was wondering if you might be interested in reporting violent oppression against Korean Railway Workers Union (KRWU), citizens, and even politicians that do not agree with the current government. 

The Korail (a national railroad company in Korea) strike has been against the government’s policy to divide the company into two, it has been argued to be a stepping stone to the privatization of the company. 

Related press release from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF):

ITF delegation in South Korea finds union repression leads to safety problems

http://www.itfglobal.org/press-area/index.cfm/pressdetail/9954

And the following situations has been strikes and demonstrations, with the citizens’ support—over 10,000 citizens gathered in one demonstration.

Railroad workers keep up their strike

http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/615534.html

Students has been making a voice on this situation: they have been writing hand-written posters on this issue and other social issues and more and more posters have been put on universities, high schools and even middle schools.

South Korea: Spread of the handwritten poster protest

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-25450218

Instead of listening to the student’s voices, the government has been busy taking the posters off—saying this poster writings hinder the “healthy atmosphere” of schools. 

http://www.asiae.co.kr/news/view.htm?idxno=2013122022394847560

http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0001939627&CMPT_CD=Ranking_mini

Despite the demonstrations and poster protests by the citizens, arrest warrants on the union members have been issued on December 16, 2013. It has been sighted that some of the guesthouses in touring areas being searched and given the photo list of the union members. 

http://www.todayhumor.co.kr/board/view.php?table=bestofbest&no=139786&s_no=139786&kind=search&page=1&keyfield=subject&keyword=%B0%AD%BF%F8%B5%B5

And today, they have violently broken into the arrested some of the union members. Korean Confederation of Trade Unions office has been literally on attack by over 4,000 policemen.

They have installed air mattresses, broke the doors with hammers. There were lawmakers concerned about this matter, who protested that the procedure has legally problematic. The building which the officers broke in is owned by a newspaper company, but that still did not matter. 

This is the timetable of events that took place in December 22, 2013:

8 A.M. The policemen gathered in front of the union building

9 A.M. They started to march into the building

In the process some of the union members and protesting citizens have been taken by the police.

10:40 A.M. Yang Sung Yoon, Lee Sang Jin (from Korean Confederation of Trade Unions) and Park In Seon (from Korean Public & Social Services and Transportation Workers' Union) was taken by the police, as they tried to stop the officers.

11 A.M. The policemen started to break the main entrance of the building

11:30 A.M. The main entrance was open

1:30 P.M. The glass door inside the lobby was broken, the stairs taken by the policemen 

Related citizen/press reports:

Photos: Police Breaks into KCTU

http://www.todayhumor.co.kr/board/view.php?table=sisa&no=469220

They have arrested more than 120 citizens:

http://news1.kr/articles/1462315

Mediatoday reports:

http://www.mediatoday.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=113841

live feed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h4kfRGuapY#t=720494

The police used Capsaicin liquids, pouring it into the buildings—using it on citizens, union members. 

Some citizens have decided to go to the building to stop this violence. The building has been built in 1971, and the corridors are very narrow and the railings are also very weak—if the policemen keep marching in with large numbers, accidents might happen and innocent people could get hurt. 

This is the first time ever that any public force has been attempted on Korean Confederation of Trade Unions since its foundation in 1995. 

At that time the Seo Seung-hwan, minister of land, transport and maritime affairs have made an appearance to the public, saying the union members must not meddle with the public force and accept to be arrested. 

However, some citizens are not happy with this remark, as the current government is under investigation on its presidential election that was held just a year ago (December 19, 2012) and has not been cooperative with the public force or the citizens’ opinions. 

More information on this can be found on ABC news report:

Controversy over South Korea elections

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-10/controversy-over-south-korea-elections/5147270

The public broadcasting companies, especially KBS, has been reporting various news on North Korea and its current execution of Jang Sung Taek, but there was no news on the demonstrations that have been held regularly. The size of the demonstrations has not been something that a journalist should ignore, but it has still been so. Mostly the reports has been made from smaller, internet-based private broadcasting websites and one bigger but also private broadcasting company (JTBC.) 

I’m sending this letter to you, to ask you to let your readers know about this situation if possible. Of the attached links and photos, files named citizen_photo has been sent to me with the approval of the photographer, and is available to your use also. 

December 22, 2013

Sincerely,

___