Visit to the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Chairman's Hunger Strike Site
"If the President Exercises Veto Power, Workers Will Fight"
Repeated Visits by Representative Lee Inside and Outside the Party
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, announced on the 8th that the party will process the 'Yellow Envelope Act' (amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act) within this month, which strengthens the responsibility of primary contractors for subcontracted workers and limits companies' claims for damages against striking workers.
Lee, who has been on a hunger strike for nine days, made the remark when Kim Dong-myung, chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, and others visited the hunger strike site in front of the National Assembly main building on the same day to demand the prompt passage of the 'Yellow Envelope Act.' Lee emphasized, "Amending labor laws is part of efforts to normalize society," and added, "We plan to process it in September."
In response, Chairman Kim said, "Although the president has declared a veto on the bill, after the veto is exercised, workers will fight," and urged, "The Democratic Party should take the lead until the bill passes the plenary session." He continued, "I support and cheer for the hunger strike for the restoration of democracy and people's livelihood," and said, "Let us join together in the grand journey to restore democracy with dignity."
Earlier, the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee passed a motion in May, led solely by opposition parties, to directly refer the Yellow Envelope Act to the plenary session, and in June, after a secret ballot in which ruling party members abstained, the bill was submitted to the plenary session.
Meanwhile, visits to the hunger strike tent continued within and outside the Democratic Party on the same day. Jeong Cheong-rae and Go Min-jung, Supreme Council members, spokesperson Kang Seon-woo, and others stayed close to Lee, and Hong Young-pyo, a member of the anti-Lee Jae-myung faction who strongly criticized Lee's candidacy in last year's party convention, also joined the site.
Sim Sang-jung, a member of the Justice Party, also visited Lee. Sim advised Lee to stop the hunger strike, saying, "The public will fully understand your intention (in undertaking the hunger strike), so it seems time to consider your health and end the hunger strike." However, Lee avoided giving an immediate answer and expressed his intention to continue the hunger strike, saying, "There is nothing else I can do but this method."
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