“Young leaders should have courage to step forward!”
 The sixth youth exchange 2009 between Korean and Japanese workers

On 7-10 November, 46 young workers, members of the Youth Organization of JRU, went to South Korea to mix with the local workers. Young workers have visited South Korea for six consecutive years on the occasion of Workers’ Rally which commemorates the anniversary of Jeon Tae-il who called for “Respecting the Labor Standard Law” and ended his own life in 1970.

Currently, in South Korea, Lee Myung-bak government has continued to pursue neo-liberal policy, which has drastically increased non-regular workers. In addition, it has intensified further oppression of labor movement. The rally used to be held by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) in the main town of Seoul. But this year it was forced to be held outside the city. Nevertheless, the venue was surrounded by the enormous number of the riot police.

Lim Sung-kyu, President of KCTU condemned Lee Myung-bak for his severe oppression of workers and declared he would fight on in accordance with Jeon Tae-il’s wish. Mother of her departed son, Jeon Tae-il, came to the rally. The aged mother stood on the stage with the help of a supporter and called on the workers to fight on together. Her words still remain in the hearts and minds of the JRU youth.

In addition to joining the rally, workers visited the headquarters of Korean Railway Labor Union and listened to the lecture of Kim Young-hoon, advisor of KRLU. In his lecture titled “Labor movement and I” he stressed that young leaders should have courage to step forward, and repeated “Never unlink hands joined with your comrades.” After that KTX Crew workers gave a presentation on their legal battle in order to win reinstatement. They exchanged and shared their opinions on the issue of non-regular employment.

They also went to the historical places which told atrocities of the Imperial Japanese Army. Although they had learned the realities before coming to Seoul, they were all shocked to visit an old prison and witness the exhibitions of brutality of the Japanese army. There they also listened to the appeal of the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan fighting to win compensation for so-called “comfort women” in World War II.