[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] The Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU), the largest pro-democracy labor organization in Hong Kong, has announced its dissolution. Since the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (Hong Kong Security Law), pro-democracy labor unions and civic groups have been dissolving one after another.
According to foreign media on the 19th, the HKCTU held a press conference on the same day and stated, "Considering the risks and costs of continuing the federation's activities, the executive committee resolved to dissolve the federation at a meeting on the 16th."
The federation plans to submit the dissolution proposal at an extraordinary general meeting scheduled for the 3rd of next month. The federation said, "Continuing the federation's activities felt like putting the personal safety of members at risk," adding, "If our very existence is already a sin, nothing will change even if the leadership resigns."
During the 2019 anti-government protests, the federation supported the general strike and encouraged workers to form new unions for democracy.
Among the federation's affiliated organizations, the 48-year-old Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union and the 19-year-old Civil Human Rights Front have already voluntarily dissolved under pressure from authorities.
On the previous day, Raymond Siu (蕭澤?), Commissioner of the Hong Kong Police Force, responded to reporters' questions about whether the federation was under investigation by saying, "Any organization will definitely be investigated for illegal activities or violations of the Hong Kong Security Law."
Founded in 1990, the HKCTU operated as one of Hong Kong's two major labor organizations alongside the pro-Beijing Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU). It consisted of about 90 unions and 145,000 members.
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