[Yongsan] 2010! Our Struggle Continues

The Yongsan tragedy in which six people –five Yongsan residents and one policeman- were killed in fire was one of the biggest struggle issues in South Korea in 2009. The cause of their death was much suspected later that they had been actually killed by murderous police hitting on them as the government and prosecutors still deny the publicizing 3000page investigation record on the day of tragedy.

The tragedy remarkably represented the capitalism’s darkest side in which the lives of human beings are considered like only pennies, compared with the value of corporate profit. It also reflected the increasing gap between the haves and have-nots in South Korea, while people’s bloody tax are wasted for supporting immoral wars and corporate profit projects by the government who totally ignores people’s basic need, opinion and will.

The tragedy, thanks to people’s persistent struggle, centered around the bereaved family’s met its half-settlement on Dec. 30. About 100 people gathered in the very site of tragedy on the last day of 2009, to console one another, to celebrate a new year and to be determined for the next step struggle in 2010. The day put in the large banner in the center stage is Dec. 32, 2009 - ‘struggle is not finished yet,’- activists seemed to want to say.

People’s drumming resonated with the struggle banners hung on and covering the walls. The banners were there all the time during the near a year vigil and fight.

The Kiryung workers who have taken more than deathly 70days (one did the recording 96 days) hunger strike, demanding the irregular workers' rights in 2008 also visited the site, having a joyful moment of taking photos with the background of the new year's lanterns hung in the wall of a demolished building in the Yongsan zone. The artists for Yongsan had made the lanterns. The Kiryung workers’ struggle was not finished yet. Nothing has settled and the struggle is still going on. But, people are surprised to see how they are positive and getting stronger as the struggle is going on. Solidarity, care, concern, love with one another may be one of the things that make it possible.

Dec. 31, 2009 was the coldest say in 2009, in South Korea. The event facilitators set up some temporary fires in front of the tragedy site, to make people warm. The fire brings up again the sad and horrible memory of January 20, 2009. Five Martyrs in Yongsan, may your souls consoled in the heaven.

The full moon was on the sky on the coldest night in 2009, the last day of 2009, looking down the tragedy site and people who can not leave there. Wish everyone a great and wonderful year !

* Related blog

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/12/text-fwd-seoul-metropolitan-government.html
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Text Fwd: The Seoul Metropolitan Government and Yongsan tragedy family members reach a deal