Gov’t Officials To Be Reprimanded For Leading an Assembly to Organize the Union

The Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs (MGAHA) decided to discharge and suspend the 5-10 members of the Association of Korea Government Officials (AKGO), who planned and led the assembly, from duty along with indictment. They were among the government officials who participated in an assembly to organize the union, held in Changwon, Kyungnam, on 9th.

MGAHA plans to reprimand 1300 government officials who belong to the 30 government institutions as well as local autonomous organizations in Pusan and Kyungnam area in accordance with each organization’s self-criteria of discipline. A MGAHA official said that ``the government officials’ group participation in the Changwon Assembly is illegal activity since it violates the law of the government officials which prohibits the group activity with the regulations on obedience and duty, and the law of workshop association which prohibits the solidarity among the associations of government officials.

Changwon Assembly was hosted by the `Joint Committee for the Reform of the Public Office and the Labor Rights`, consisted of 48 organizations such as the AKGO, the National Teachers Union, and the Korea Confederation of Trade Union. Many members of the AKGO participated in the Changwon Assembly. An AKGO officials said that ``if the government reprimands the members of the AKGO, we will take stern countermeasures, such as administrative litigation, and appeal to the International Labor Organization (ILO).``

Yang Ki-Dae kee@donga.com