10 May marked a full year since the conservative right returned to power in South Korea under President Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party. This period has been marked by fierce attacks by the government on the working class, with a corresponding rise of class militancy. As the capitalist crisis deepens, the South Korean class struggle will reach new heights.
At the time of Yoon’s election, we at In Defence of Marxism offered the following perspective:
“There is no doubt that his administration will be a zealous enforcer of the will of the Chaebols [big corporations]. Through him, the South Korean ruling class is getting ready to launch a fierce assault on the labour movement and the oppressed.”
This perspective has not only come true but has accelerated in the past few months. With a phoney excuse of “remedying income inequality in the labour market”, the Yoon administration is wasting no time in trying to roll back the meagre reforms passed by the previous Democratic Moon Jae-in government, including the Serious Accident Punishment Act and 52-hour workweek.
In their place, Yoon has previously sought to put in counter-reforms that would allow the working week to be increased to 69 hours. This attempt was finally rolled back after intense protests from trade unions and the youth. But, according to Asian Labor Review, the current 52-hour maximum work week remains under scrutiny, and the Yoon administration still plans on eventually...
Secretary-General says Tehran’s claims are provocative and threaten regional stability Abu Dhabi: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi has strongly condemned ...