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| In front of Heukseok Station in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, around 3 pm on the 6th, union members welcome Kim Jin-sook, a leader of the Busan Headquarters of the Trade Unions, to enter Seoul. © News 1/Reporter Jung Hye-min |
Kim Jin-sook (61), a leader of the Busan Headquarters of the Korean Federation of Trade Unions, arrived in Seoul on the 6th, as the’last fired worker’ of Hanjin Heavy Industries’ Yeongdong Shipyard.
Commissioner Kim is struggling to reinstate his job while walking on two feet for the 32nd day since he left Hopo Station on the Busan Metropolitan Railroad in Yangsan, Gyeongnam on December 30 last year. He plans to finish the long journey by arriving at the Blue House on the 7th the next day.
Commissioner Kim arrived at Heukseok Station in Dongjak-gu, Seoul around 3 pm and finished the schedule. Hundreds of officials from unions, civic groups, and political parties also gathered together to join Kim. A union official said, “It seems that more than 600 people have gathered.”
Commissioner Kim <뉴스1>In an interview with the group, “I thought this would be the first time I started (hopefully), but I came to here on foot. I am very impressed.”
Commissioner Kim joined Hanjin Heavy Industries as a welder at the age of 21 in 1981 as a welder at the predecessor of Hanjin Heavy Industries, and was investigated by the police while working as a union, and in 1986 he was disciplined.
In 2019, the Committee for Rehabilitation of Honor and Compensation for People Related to the Democratization Movement recognized the union activity at Hanjin Heavy Industries as a democratization movement and recommended Kim’s reinstatement, but Hanjin Heavy Industries did not accept his reinstatement.
Eventually, on December 30, last year, Commissioner Kim, who reached his retirement age outside the company, began a struggle for reinstatement of’hopelessness’ walking from Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do to the Blue House, saying, “There is no retirement age without reinstatement.”
When asked if the journey of walking more than 400 kilometers (km) for 32 days was difficult, he laughed, “It’s a person, but it’s hard.” Still, he replied, “Once I made up my mind, I shouldn’t do it.” Commissioner Kim, who was struggling with breast cancer, was very lean.
When he arrived at the Blue House on the 7th, Commissioner Kim said, “I will persuade those who are fasting and send them to the hospital.”
Currently, in front of the Blue House, poet Song Kyung-dong, Kim Woo’s rights-seeking union activist, and Jung Hong-hyung, senior vice-president of the support branch of the metallurgical union, are in a hunger strike for 47 days, urging Kim to be reinstated.
On the 4th, the union and Hanjin Heavy Industries held the first official negotiations between the Korean Christian Church in Jongno-gu, Seoul through mediation by the religious community, but eventually collapsed. Commissioner Kim insisted on’reinstating’ and the company insisting on’honorary retirement after re-employment’.
Commissioner Kim said, “Reinstatement means returning to the original position, and re-joining means to cut off all the past and join the company and retire for honor,” he said. “It means that we will not take any responsibility for the previous years. I cannot accept it.” Said.
Regarding the breakdown of the labor-management negotiations, he said, “Thousands, not hundreds, and only one remaining person will not work for 10 or 20 years, and will only enter the factory once and then come out, but rejecting it seems to be a matter of emotion. “He said.
He added, “Hanjin always has the same view of labor issues and workers,” he added. “It seems that I have a grudge against the fact that their intentions were not fulfilled since the crane was established.”
Commissioner Kim also expressed regret for the government. He said, “From the chairman of the Gyeongsang Nowi to the Minister of Employment and Labor, I will try my best in the state affairs audit.
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| In front of Heukseok Station in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, around 3 pm on the 6th, union members welcome Kim Jin-sook, a leader of the Busan Headquarters of the Trade Unions, to enter Seoul. © News 1/Reporter Jung Hye-min |
At Heukseok Station, the KORAIL Networks Union, LG Twin Tower Branch, Samsung Electronics Service Union, Kia Motors Union, and the Korea Racing Association, etc., who are struggling at their respective seats, greeted and supported Kim. Some people brought up a book about Kim’s struggles and asked for an autograph.
Commissioner Kim and his party plan to depart from Heukseok Station at 11 am on the 7th, pass Namyeong-dong, where Hanjin Heavy Industries is headquartered at 1 pm, go through Gwanghwamun at 2:30 pm, and arrive at the fasting farm in front of the Blue House fountain at 3 pm. At 4 pm, a final meeting is scheduled in front of the Cheongundong office.