Preparatory Issue 21
May 2023 |
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Yoon Seok-yeol's Government’s One Year Anniversary, Everything in Crisis |
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May 10 marked the first anniversary of Yoon Seok-yeol's government. In Seoul alone, simultaneous candlelight protests of civil societies, progressive parties, and people took place in 16 out of 25 districts, holding a nationwide candlelight protest to denounce the past year under Yoon administration.Candlelight protests condemning Yoon government's past year were also held in various regions across the country.
The Itaewon Tragedy on October 29, 2022, was covered up, and laborers have lost their lives due to ongoing labor suppression. Policies focused on capital interests rather than people's livelihoods have led to the deterioration of living conditions, while discrimination against women and minorities has deepened. Furthermore, the government has trampled upon the rights of forced labor victims under Japanese colonial rule, engaged in diplomatic humiliation to normalize relations with Japan, and aligned with the United States in a New Cold War, pushing the Korean Peninsula into a crisis of war. In every aspect, there is a crisis, and considering the remaining four years of the term, people’s voices have become even more desperate.
The candlelight protests were not only an occasion to denounce the Yoon government's one-year rule, but also an occasion to reflect on the struggles against his policies and direction over the past year. People shouted ‘We can no longer endure this” and rallied to embark on a more fervent struggle.
The International Strategy Center also attended the candlelight protest held in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, with some of our members. During Yoon Seok-yeol's one-year tenure, despite claiming to bring freedom, his administration has seen exacerbated crises in all areas. One of which was highlighted in a statement on the threat of the New Cold War.
In accordance with the discussions during the South Korea-U.S. Summit on April 26, the United States announced its intention to deploy nuclear-armed submarines near the Korean Peninsula in addition to nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and strategic bombers in response to North Korea's nuclear missile threat. It was pointed out that this not only undermines security but also further destabilizes inter-Korean relations and could lead to conflicts with China and Russia.
The ISC will continue international solidarity activities to halt the actions of the Yoon government that jeopardize peace and align with the U.S.-led New Cold War order. |
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Who Drove the Martyr Yang Hoi-dong to His Death?
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Cha Hanseon (Issue Briefing Team)
Translation: Alice S. Kim (Translation Team)
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On May 1, May Day, a construction worker set himself on fire.
The crackdown of the construction union by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration drove Yang Hoi-dong to his death. His death is the social murder of the Yoon Suk-yeol government.
Illegal multi-level subcontracting is rampant, and delayed/unpaid wages ongoing. Construction workers who have struggled to change construction sites, which relegate worker safety to the background, demanding to be treated with respect as workers and technicians, are being cornered as/ turned into criminals accompanied by extortion threats at regular intervals. Since January of this year, there have been 13 seizures and searches, 15 arrests, and 950 union members subpoenaed for investigation. The massive crackdown against the construction union has taken the life of the martyr.
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The government's pressure on the public sector labor union is becoming more obvious. The Ministry of Employment and Labor stated that if the collective agreements and bylaws established autonomously by management and workers violate the law, they will issue corrective counter measures. Even if there are no legal violations, the government plans to recommend improvements to the agreements that it deems 'unreasonable'. They are also discussing providing incentives to organizations that adjust their agreements according to the recommendations through government guidelines. Even though a year has passed since the International Labor Organization's (ILO) Collective Bargaining Convention (No. 98) came into effect, the labor rights of public sector workers, including public officials and teachers, continue to decline, which is expected to further fuel workers’ struggles. The government's pressure on the unions is crossing the line, seen as an attempt to stop even legitimate union activities.
Who is the tax cut for? With a recession because of the Coronavirus Pandemic and the war in Ukraine, it’s a time where we need to share the burden which should include taxes to the rich. However, the Yoon administration rather gave them tax cuts, and tightened the government expenditure.
When natural gas is affordable internationally; Direct importers make contracts → Gas corporations loose affordable contract opportunities → Gas corporations’ import expenses increase → Gas prices increase for citizens and competitors (public enterprises, etc.) → The System Marginal Price (SMP), which is the wholesale price of energy, goes up → Profits for private power-generation companies goes up → KEPCO (korean electricity company) prices increase → electricity price hikes → The public burden increases
When natural gas price is high internationally; Direct importers give up on mass importing → Gas corporations mass import with very expensive short-term contracts → Gas corporations’ import expenses increase (massive increase) → Gas prices increase for citizens and competitors (public enterprises, etc.) → The System Marginal Price (SMP), which is the wholesale price of energy, goes up → Profits for private power-generation companies goes up → KEPCO (korean electricity company) prices increase → electricity price hikes → The public burden increases |
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No Cold War Statement
At G7 Summit, Hiroshima Once Again Used for Cold War Agenda |
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The G7 summit was held this past weekend in Hiroshima, Japan. In 1945, the US dropped a nuclear bomb on the city to usher in the Cold War – 78 yrs later the US and its allies returned to ramp up a New Cold War with China and Russia. |
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April Progressive Forum< Platform Capitalism> |
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On April 28th, the International Strategy Center and Progressives for All of the Justice Party invited Nick Srnicek, lecturer at King’s College London and author of Platform Capitalism to its monthly Progressive Forum to talk about the political-economic of platforms. The interview was conducted by Norbert Morvan and edited for clarity and brevity by Matthew Phillips. |
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South Korea Pivots to Conflict
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South Korea’s far-right President Yoon Suk Yeol is rushing South Korea headlong into the middle of the new Cold War that the United States is waging against China. Yoon’s aspiration to position South Korea as a “global pivotal state” is turning South Korea into a bigger cog in the U.S. war machine and stakes South Korea’s security and economic future on a declining U.S.-led global order. Yoon’s support of the U.S. global order has taken him on a flurry of visits and meetings around the world from the virtual Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) summit to the NATO summit in Madrid to high-level meetings in Japan and the United States. |
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The ISC participated in the 133th May Day rally on May 1st. Workers, civil societies, progressive political parties and people gathered to denounce the Yoon administration's oppression on workers and gather strength to fight to win workers' rights. |
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International Conference for Peace in Northeast Asia
The South Korea-US-Japan Military Alliance is Stoking a New Cold War
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On May 16th, the Justice Party, the Korean Policy Institute (KPI), a progressive intellectual organization that has been researching US policies on the Korean Peninsula, the International Committee of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), ZENKO, a group involved in anti-US military base movements in Japan, and the No Cold War, jointly organized an international conference on exploring peaceful solutions. The International Strategic Center also co-hosted the event.
The conference provided a platform to discuss how we should perceive the current New Cold War era led by the United States, the impact of strengthening the US-Korea-Japan military alliance on each country, and the necessary solutions for peace. You can watch the conference in the video below, which includes subtitles in Korean and English. |
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Photo Exhibition
The Life of General Augusto C. Sandino |
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On May 18th, the ISC attended a photo exhibition at the invitation of the Nicaraguan Embassy in Korea. This exhibition commemorated General Augusto Sandino, who led guerrilla warfare from 1927 to 1933 in Nicaragua, resisting the invasion of the US Marines and the abuses of the government forces. In 1979, the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) led the Sandinista revolution that overthrew the dictatorship of the Somoza regime. The name "Sandinista" was derived from the name of General Sandino himself. |
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May Book & Beer
Platform Socialism |
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On May 12th and 19th, the ISC had Book and Beer where we read and discussed James McDoon's book "Platform Socialism". It was a time created together by those who prepared the presentations and actively participated in the discussions. Please look forward to the Book and Beer in June as well! |
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May Progressive Forum
Platform Socialism
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On May 25th, the ISC held the May Progressive Forum. We interviewed James Maldoon after reading his book Platform Socialism, and shared a great discussion about the decline of community in the neo-liberal era, problematic community-washing and rebranding of corporations like Facebook and ideas like crypto currency. We discussed how "Platform Socialism" could address these issues, through concepts like G.D.H. Cole's Social Ownership, and decommodifying of data and tech. Maldoon shared a hope that technology and data can serve a more positive social role, and provided a vision that we can organize around. |
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The ISC is organizing a Pride Study Group in June and July to study and discuss issues related to sexual minorities. We will delve into theories, cultures, and health rights concerning sexual minorities. We are preparing Book & Beer and Movie Nights. Also we are planning to join Seoul Queer Culture Festival in July. Come and join us! |
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2F, 2 Dosin-ro 47-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul International Strategy Center
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