Anti-War Workers, Teachers Make Threats

By Moon Gap-shik (gsmoon@chosun.com), Chosun Ilbo 26 March 2003

The two umbrella labor unions and the left-wing teachers’ union strengthened their anti-war efforts on Wednesday.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the more activist of the two union groups, said it would target for defeat in next year’s elections representatives who vote in favor of sending noncombatant troops to Iraq. It said it would try to combine the efforts of the 700-odd civic groups that have allied themselves in the national anti-war movement.

The Korean Teachers and Educational Workers Union said that its members would teach anti-war themes and distribute anti-war stickers during classroom hours.

On Tuesday, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions said that if the National Assembly endorses the bill to dispatch troops, the federation would accuse those who supported it of being war criminals and try to get them defeated in the next election. If troops are sent, the federation said, it will try to get President Roh Moo-hyun impeached and wage a full strike.