S Korean Progressives Launch New Party to Complete ‘Candlelight Revolution’ [Interview, Part 1]

by ZoominKorea | Aug 4, 2017 | Analysis, Democracy, Labor and People's Struggles, News, Peace and Militarism

“The people who were at the forefront of the candlelight revolution that ousted Park Geun-hye need to be the driving force of South Korean politics, and for that reason, we need a new party,” said Kim Jong-hoon, an independent South Korean National Assemblymember, in...

S Korean Progressives Launch New Party to Complete ‘Candlelight Revolution’ [Interview, Part 2]

by ZoominKorea | Aug 4, 2017 | Analysis, Democracy, Labor and People's Struggles, News, Peace and Militarism

Continued from Part 1 ZoominKorea asked Kim Jong-hoon–an independent member of the South Korean National Assembly and Standing Representative of the New People’s Party (tentative name)–to discuss the impetus behind the formation of a new progressive party...

KCTU’s Social General Strike and Labor Movement Priorities in the Moon Jae-in Era

by ZoominKorea | Jun 28, 2017 | Analysis, Labor and People's Struggles

Low-wage irregular workers in South Korea will launch a social general strike on June 30 to demand an increase in the minimum wage; reversal of former President Park Geun-hye’s regressive labor reforms; and an end to the...

S Korean Activists Discuss Left Priorities in the Moon Jae-in Era, Part 3

by ZoominKorea | May 19, 2017 | Analysis, Democracy, Labor and People's Struggles, South Korean Elections

ZoominKorea asked labor, LGBT, and peace/reunification activists in South Korea about their expectations for the Moon Jae-in administration as well as movement priorities in this new period.   Part 3: “Unity and solidarity among workers is more important...

Dissent in the Economic Miracle (7) – The Democratic Labor Movement

by ZoominKorea | Nov 23, 2016 | Democracy, Labor and People's Struggles

Continued from Part 6   THE DEMOCRATIC LABOR MOVEMENT, 1987-1989 When Roh Tae Woo made public the platform on which he would run for president, it sounded more progressive and democratic than either of his opponents, Kim Dae Jung or Kim Yong Sam. Not only did he...

Dissent within the Economic Miracle (6) – A Movement is Born

by ZoominKorea | Nov 1, 2016 | Labor and People's Struggles

Continued from Part 5 Chun Doo Hwan’s seizure of power and his attack on labor created not a ripple among the innovators who were directing Korea’s economic miracle. There were a few months of uncertainty after Pak’s death, but composure was quickly...