The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held the “August 15 National Workers’ Mass Protest” and “August 15 Gathering for Independent Peaceful Reunification” in downtown Seoul to commemorate the 77th Liberation Day. Six thousand participants carried out pro-North Korean and anti-American political protests urging for suspension of the US-ROK combined military exercises and opposing the deployment of THADD in South Korea.
The KCTU called for the dissolution of the US-ROK alliance and the withdrawal of US forces from South Korea, saying, “We must fight against the United States, which controls the fate of the Korean Peninsula.”
The KCTU also read remarks for solidarity sent by the North Korean General Federation of Trade Unions, saying, “The United States is trying to put nuclear disaster on our people.” While not mentioning North Korea’s nuclear development, it referred to North Korea’s claim that the United States was escalating the nuclear war crisis.
There is a possibility that the KCTU would have violated the South Korean National Security Act (NSA) for reading remarks for solidarity sent by North Korea. Article 8 of the current South Korean NSA stipulates, “Any person who makes contact with a member of an anti-government organization or a person who has received an order from it, by means of a meeting, correspondence or other method […] shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than ten years.”
It was confirmed that the KCTU formed an organization called the “Central Unification Vanguard” and held “pro-North and anti-American” rallies around US military bases across the country to stir the atmosphere before holding a large-scale rally in Seoul. Starting from the main gate of the U.S. Naval Command in South Korea in Namgu, Busan, they went up to Seoul via the US base in Pyeongtaek.
The “Unification Vanguard” was originally run by pro-North Korean university student groups such as the “Pan-Korean Students Alliance for Unification” and “South Korean Federation of University Students Councils,” which were judged to be anti-government organizations. Since 2000, The KCTU has operated the “Unification Vanguard,” organizing various activities in August for issues such as the withdrawal of US forces from South Korea. Unlike its name, “unification,” its activities have been pro-North Korea.
The KCTU has gone beyond undermining the rule of law and has reached the stage of denying the liberal democracy and market economy system. Instead of protecting the rights and interests of union members, they are shaking the country by shouting slogans for the dissolution of the US-ROK alliance and the withdrawal of US forces from Korea. If lawlessness and “mob rule” behavior in the industrial field cannot be eradicated, it is difficult for a company, no matter how strong, to survive.
