Tongin Newsletter, November 2015
Happy participation, Heartwarming solidarity _ This month of the PSPD
● Presented bills that must be passed or rejected during the last general session of the 19th National Assembly
▶ All activity groups of the PSPD participated to select 37 legislative agendas and policies in 10 sectors and presented them on 19 October for the 19th National Assembly to pass or reject at the last general session. Especially, PSPD urged to pass bills concerning to help people’s lives including [Housing Lease Protection Act] and reject retrogressive revisions such as [Labor Standard Act] which would worsen labor conditions.
● ‘The Rulings Reading Club’ is being held successfully
▶ The Judiciary Watch Division of PSPD held the first gathering of the Rulings Reading Club. The first ruling chosen was the decision of the Eastern branch of Busan Court made October last year. It confirmed for the first time that the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company was responsible for the cause of malignant tumor of thyroid gland broke to a resident living nearby Gori nuclear power plant.
● ‘Eul (the weak)’s ballot is in progress nationwide by both on and off line.
▶ A ballot is in progress throughout the nation asking Euls of our society whether labor policy of Park Geun-hye government is a reform or retrogression. Labor policies in question are easy dismissal, extension of irregular working terms and disadvantageous change of wages and working conditions. More than thousands ballot booths are set up in streets, offices including the PSPD office.
● Joint Press Conference of civil society on retrogressing labor policy of Park Geun-hye government and Saenuri Party
▶ The people are swiftly acknowledging that changing labor law of Park Geun-hye government and Saenuri Party is said to be a reform but in fact retrogression. NGOs, members of the Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea have a consensus to stop the change and held a joint press conference on 21 October. They expressed great concerns on retrograding labor laws unilaterally pushed by the government and Saenuri Party.
● Park Geun-hye’s policies on low birthrate and ageing society are not bearable
▶ On 19 October, the government announced the third basic plan for low birthrate and ageing society. However, the plan found the cause of low birthrate from late marriages and suggested measures based on the traditional family concept failing to acknowledge fundamental problems of social inequality and sexual discrimination. Even further, people could not help themselves from sneering and getting angry when the state voluntarily to be a matchmaker. The government is ignoring the reality that social inequality, polarization, young unemployment and hard livelihood are real hindrances which make dating and getting married difficult. No one would agree the responsibility of late marriage is on the young and the people.
● Filed a lawsuit against dominant CGV for the public interest
▶ The Minbyun, Youth Community Union, and Campaign for Anyone with Stable Life of PSPD gathered in front of CGV, Daehakro branch on 22 October to announce the commencement of a lawsuit for the public interest in regard to playing commercial films in cinemas irritating and stressing viewers. CGV has earned more than 81 billion won in 2014 from forcibly playing advertisements without a notice or consent of viewers. PSPD filed a lawsuit together with 26 youth plaintiffs and claimed return of unfair earnings and compensation to correct and stop a market leader CGV from playing an actual movie about 10 minutes later than the time written on a ticket in order to play commercial films. Last February, PSPD has reported unfair trade acts of movie theaters and urged the Fair Trade Commission again to take an instant action to correct it.
● Criticizing double stances of Korean government on Japan’s plan to become a military giant and allowing Japanese Army into Korean Peninsula
▶ Recently, the change of Japanese security policy towards re-militarism and military giant has become a huge concern to both Asian and global citizens who love the peace. Far-right politicians in Japan do not hide their intention to dispatch Self-Defense Forces to Korean Peninsula. Our government is supposed to respond actively but rather shows double stances deepening worries to the people. Moreover, a suspicion was raised that the government concealed a conflict at the Korea-Japan Military Minister talk on 20 October. Japanese Defense Minister said effective sovereignty of South Korean government applied to southern part of DMZ disagreeing an interpretation of South Korean Defense Minister that Japanese Self-Defense Forces is required to request or have an agreement of South Korean government when enters to North Korea. Hence, the Center for Peace and Disarmament urged the government on 22 October to take a clear stance to oppose disabling the Peace Constitution of Japan and pursuing collective self-defense. Korean government should actively respond to Japanese actions towards far-right threatening the peace of Korean peninsula and the world.