"Let's Hear Labor Issues Directly" Democratic Party Gwangju Election Committee Leaders' Communication Efforts Draw Attention

At Jeon Tae-il Testimony Hall, Voices Urging 'Labor Democracy' Heard and Performances Watched

Regarding Yoon Seok-yeol, People Power Party Candidate's Remark on 120-Hour Workweek, Calls to "Reaffirm Jeon Tae-il Spirit"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The co-chairs of the Democratic Party’s Great Transformation (Gieonchi) Election Committee, composed of young people in their 20s and 30s from the Gwangju area, embarked on a field communication campaign by listening to the voices from harsh labor exploitation sites.

In particular, they emphasized the need to remember the spirit of labor activist Jeon Tae-il, who self-immolated while calling for compliance with the Labor Standards Act, in response to the recent controversy over People Power Party candidate Yoon Seok-yeol’s remark about working 120 hours per week.

According to the Democratic Party Gwangju Metropolitan City Party on the 15th, the co-chairs of the Great Transformation election committee attended the ‘2021 Jeon Tae-il Testimony Meeting’ held yesterday afternoon at the Democracy Hall of the 5·18 Memorial Culture Center in Ssangchon-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, where they listened to cases of labor rights violations.

The ‘2021 Jeon Tae-il Testimony Meeting’ was organized by the ‘Together Theater Jeon Tae-il Gwangju Performance Promotion Committee’ in commemoration of the 51st anniversary of martyr Jeon Tae-il with the play ‘Jeon Tae-il’.

At the testimony meeting held that day, six cases of workplace power abuse and harassment occurring in the region were addressed, including the Public Transport Union Gwangju-Jeonnam Branch Gwangju Biennale Branch, the investigation into the Gwangju-Hwasun Slave PC Bang, and the death of trainee Hong Jung-woon in Yeosu.

The Gwangju-Hwasun Slave PC Bang Investigation Countermeasures Committee stated, “Democracy stops in front of workers. Small Jeon Du-hwans threaten workers’ lives in workplaces everywhere,” and “The older generation only thinks of diligent and sincere young workers. However, the labor of powerless young people who get injured, die, or struggle with debt while working is paid at a low price,” appealing for democracy in the labor field.

Among the co-chairs who listened to the testimony meeting, Chairperson Chae Eun-ji, a labor attorney, and Chairperson Jung Da-eun, a lawyer, expressed special empathy due to their professional experience with workplace power abuse cases and urged social attention.

Chairperson Chae said, “As a labor attorney active in labor sites, I know well that today’s testimonies represent only a small fraction,” and added, “Even though 51 years have passed since martyr Jeon Tae-il’s death, we cannot boast that the labor environment is safe. I will raise my voice to ensure that labor issues are not neglected in the presidential election climate.”

Regarding the controversy over People Power Party candidate Yoon Seok-yeol’s remark about working 120 hours per week, she pointed out, “It is a statement stemming from the perception that labor can be easily bought if you have money,” and said, “We must recall the spirit of Jeon Tae-il, who shouted ‘We are not machines,’ and start changing perceptions from the political sphere.”

After the testimony meeting, the co-chairs watched the play ‘Jeon Tae-il’ performed that day.

The Gwangju election committee plans to establish channels to listen to the voices of marginalized workers and address regional labor issues in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.