South Korea: Outrage over union’s de-registration
The President and General Secretary of Education International, Susan Hopgood and Fred van Leeuwen, have told the members of the Environment and Labour Committee of the National Assembly of Korea that the recent de-registration of the Korea Teachers’ and Education Workers’ Union (KTU), one of EI's affiliates in the country, is in violation with international labour standards. The de-registration follows KTU’s refusal to comply with the government’s ruling that dismissed and retired teachers cannot be union members.
Hopgood and Van Leeuwen urged the lawmakers, who they met at the National Assembly in Seoul on 18 November that Korean labour laws be adjusted and brought in conformity with international standards. They also asked them to instruct the government to revoke KTU’s de-registration. Mr. Geh Ryeun Shin, Chairman of the Labour Committee promised that the issue would be debated in Parliament this week and that they were preparing amendments to the existing legislation.
Increasing pressure on the Korean Government
“When it comes to teachers’ trade union rights and professional freedoms, Korea is definitely the most backward country in the OECD,” said Fred van Leeuwen at a press conference held on 18 November at the KTU office in Seoul. “How can students hope to understand democracy when they grow up watching their teachers not being allowed and unable to freely express their own views?” he said.
“When South Korea joined the United Nations in 1991 and the OECD in 1996, it promised to abide by the international standards which include the freedom of expression of teachers and their right to form labour unions,” said Susan Hopgood.
Hopgood and Van Leeuwen stated that if the country persists in violating international human and trade union rights standards, Education International will take legal action and advise international agencies such as OECD, UNESCO and World Bank to stop convening international education conferences and events in Korea.
The EI leaders also met with the Education Committee of the National Assembly and with the President of the main opposition party, the Democratic Party of the Republic of Korea. On 17 November they met with the leadership of the Korean Trade Union Confederation, to which KTU is affiliated.
