The labor unions of the nation’s two airliners, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, declared Thursday that they refuse to transport anything related to the troop dispatch to Iraq, including Korean soldiers to be stationed in Iraq along with armor and related equipment.
The Association of Airline Unions, founded by both the national airlines and the employees of Incheon International Airport and Kimpo Airport, said Thursday that in accordance with the policy of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions [see KCTU text & link below], that they are against sending more troops to Iraq and will launch an all-out struggle against the deployment.
The association said, “Both Korean Air and Asiana Airlines should not sign contracts with the government to transport troops to Iraq… If they sign such contracts, the security of our union members cannot be guaranteed as they may become a target of terror during operation… Also, in order to show our rejection to a war of invasion, we will suspend all flights.”
In response to the unions, the two airlines pointed out, “We haven’t been asked by the government to transport troops to Iraq,” and “unconditionally rejecting something before even negotiations have begun is going to far.”
(Lee Wee-jae, wjlee@chosun.com )
KCTU STATEMENT
Korean Trade Unions Oppose Iraq Deployment
Plan to deploy troops to Iraq has taken away an innocent life of Kim Seon-Il. Stop Deployment Now!
The sacrifice of Kim Sun-Il was expected, as long as the government was to push for dispatch of troops to Iraq. However, the government did not fulfill all that it could have done, and we now consequently face a tragedy. We cannot but be angered by the act of killing innocent lives. At the same time, we are adamant in our denouncement against the dispatch of troops to Iraq by the Korean government, an act that has brought about this tragedy.
There is no national interest that is greater than the lives of a country’s citizens. Whatever justification the government may use for the deployment of troops, the events that are actually taking place are drawing citizens into the war that US implemented. It is inevitable that sacrifice of young Korean soldiers and of innocent citizens continue.
This has to stop. Plans to dispatch troops to Iraq must be completely re-examined.
The KCTU demands cancellation of the plans to dispatch troops to Iraq, as one of its main demands for the first half of this year, in order to avoid sacrifice of further lives. We demand that the Korean government not play puppet to the foreign policies of the US and that it take a firm stance again it, and that it protect the rights and the lives of its citizens.
We strongly reaffirm that the KCTU and all its members will stand at the forefront of the struggle to cancel plans to deploy troops to Iraq.
23rd June, 2004
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
Iraqi Unionist Abdullah Muhsin reports conversation with Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) [see link to FKTU page below]
As for activities of the Iraqi unionists at Geneva, the only accounts I found were written by the embattled unionists themselves. Abdullah Muhsin, the London-based voice for the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) reports a very interesting conversation between his delegation and Korean unionists.
“The meeting focused on the presence of Korean troops in Iraq and the proposal for an additional 600 soldiers to go to Iraq to help with humanitarian needs for construction, and for medical aid,” reports Muhsin.
“The meeting also discussed the 30 June transfer of power to the Iraqis, the role of the UN and the proposed draft UN resolution on Iraq.”
“Both sides agreed,” reports Mushin, “that the occupation of Iraq must now end, that the UN must take a leading role in the [future] of Iraq and that real power and sovereignty must be handed to the transitional Iraqi government established on 30 June 2004.”
Muhsin’s report evades details of any conclusions that might have been reached during that conversation regarding the 600 additional Korean soldiers. Should they stay home? Should they come to Iraq only under UN supervision? An independent reporter might have pressed those questions.
MoPress 
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