George Negus

First to Korea, where to say the least, tensions are mounting between the North and South, following a dramatic defection from the North, and a particularly bold assassination attempt in the Southern capital of Seoul. But for the last two months, the South itself has been racked by riots. Kim Young Sam's government received an ultimatum from the country's powerful trade unions behind the massive protests - repeal controversial labour laws, or face new strikes and violence.

01.26.06

Negus:  Ironically, right now South Korea should be celebrating the tenth anniversary of the pro-democracy protests that led to the overthrow of the country's military dictatorship in 1987. Instead, police and angry workers have been confronting each other in pitched battles in cities around the country. The ABC's Tokyo correspondent, Jill Colgan, witnessed the worst of the rioting close up. Jill joined the protesters and soon discovered that the street battles are about far more than just a tough labour law.

Interior Myondong Cathedral

Church bells

02.24.20

Colgan:  In the heart of Seoul, Myongdong Cathedral has long been a symbol of democracy - a safe haven for the people in the fight against hard line governments. Now it's again the rallying point for pro-democracy forces, who say their prayers for political freedom have not been answered.

Map South Korea/Dissolve to riots

Riots

02.57.07

Colgan:  Each day students and workers try taking their rallies to the streets in a march to Myongdong Cathedral.

03.21.14

Riots

Colgan:  They're met by a wall of heavily armed riot police, and the confrontations readily turn violent.

Riots

Colgan:  These clashes continue into the night, time and time again we watch as protestors inhale a lung full of tear gas, only to come back for more.

This push towards Myongdong is symbolic. Ten years ago pro-democracy protestors walked this path, using the cathedral as a safe house, protected from the forces of the repressive military regime of Chun Do Hwan.

It was one place government forces dared not intrude and became a symbol of the people's hard won democracy.

Protest rally

Protestors

04.46.19

Colgan:  Today again, the battle front is on the streets outside Myongdong, though now the cathedral grounds serve not only as a refuge, but a command centre.

Cathedral grounds

These grounds have been both sanctuary and prison for militant union leaders, who retreated here to evade arrest warrants issued by the government for waging this industrial campaign.

04.57.23

Allowing us into their inner circle, we met the man behind the campaign - Kwon Young-kil, President of the outlawed Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.

Kwon Young-kil

Kwon Young-kil:  This is why we want to change this so-called democracy - to change the anti-labour system to a society in which employers and workers can live together.

05.21.04

Union Leaders in cathedral

Colgan:  For these union leaders, the reality of democracy in 1997 is precious little more political freedom than under previous hardline governments.

05.30.23

Kwon Young-kil

Kwon Young-kil:  The number of workers arrested under previous governments is less than those arrested under the ‘civilian' government of President Kim Young-Sam.

05.42.21

Man climbing steps

Woo Sang-Ho:  We swore, after the death of our friend Lee Han Yul to continue the fight for his demands - to make his sacrifice worthwhile. Whenever I come here I reaffirm the promise to keep my word.

05.53.04

Statue of Lee Han Yul

Colgan:  Woo Sang-Ho was a student protest leader in 1987. Not far from this very spot, he saw his 19 year old friend Lee Han Yul fatally hit when police fired tear gas into crowds of demonstrating students.

06.16.23

Woo Sang-Ho

Woo Sang-Ho:  Ten years ago, when I was fighting alongside my friends we expected better results in terms of the development of democracy. Compared with the battles and sacrifices of our youth the results we have now are too few.

06.35.05

Protests

Music

06.50.11

Colgan:  This afternoon, Woo leaves his publishing company office to join protestors in the city centre.

Since the protests began two months ago, he's attended every rally he can.

Woo Sang-Ho:  Though many people have fought for democracy and sacrificed their lives -  still all these people have to come out on to the streets from their workplaces to demand democracy. The reality of that is painful for me.

Freeway/City buildings

Music

07.32.09

Colgan:  The past decades has seen South Korea hailed as a model of economic achievement. A new level of prosperity has filtered down to most workplaces. In some sectors, wages have increased five-fold.

But the miracle is starting to wear thin. The country's rapid growth is slowing, it's trade deficit is increasing and it's competitive edge is being challenged by other developing nations.

City streets

In a bid to satisfy big business, the government targeted the country's high cost labour system. But went far further than trade unions and opposition parties expected.

08.04.11

Colgan in front of National Assembly

Super:  JILL COLGAN

Colgan:  It was here at the Parliament building in Seoul, the National Assembly, that the government dealt what it thought was a master stroke. The day after Christmas, in a pre-dawn session, with no opposition members present, it rammed its controversial new labour law through parliament. It appeared to the rest of the country, and indeed the world, a piece of political skulduggery. It was the catalyst for a wave of unrest and protests that spread around the country.

08.16.18

Protesters

Protests

08.43.18

Colgan:  To workers, the new law undermined their job security, making it easier for employers to sack them or extend their working hours.

In a country with minimal unemployment benefits, it cut to the heart of basic labour rights.

For the rest of the country, the government action harked back to dark days of South Korea's authoritarian past.

Prof Moon

Super: 

Prof. MOON CHUNG-IN

Political Analyst

Prof Moon:  There was a public outcry. In the past during the authoritarian regime, government and ruling party used to pass law like that. But they never anticipated that kind of pass of law in the age of democratic transition.

09.16.12

Night riots in Seoul

Riots

09.28.11

Colgan:  Another night, another clash in the streets of Seoul.

This is a country where protests are a way of life, and street rallies are a ritual. Yet, this is different.

Riots

Colgan:  The intensity of the protests has caught the government by surprise.

More than labour laws are at stake. Ordinary South Koreans have come out into the streets to fight too.

Riots

Colgan:  In the face of widespread domestic and international criticism, the government of President Kim Young-Sam refuses to acknowledge its heavy handedness.

Dr Kim

Super:

Dr. KIM JONG-YUN

New Korea Party Spokesman

Dr Kim:  I do agree that the way in which the bill was passed was not the most democratic way of doing it.  However, I do not think it was a mistake, or unjust.

10.41.10

Protests

Colgan:  The strikes, meanwhile, were coordinated to cause minimum disruption to the general public, and maximum pain to the government.

10.58.05

Music

Colgan at Ulsan

Colgan:  This is Ulsan on the south east coast of South Korea, population around one million. It's the biggest industrial centre in the country, a city of factories and factory workers. It's here that the strikes hit hardest, shutting down the industrial powerhouses that had been keeping the South Korean economy going.

11.23.10

Hyundai factory

South Koreans call Ulsan, Hyundai City. The vehicle manufacturer is the biggest employer in town, with 28,000 workers under this one factory roof.

11.39.01

Kang Bong-Jin is the union representative for his production line. It's a powerful union, formed at the company level. In South Korea, it's one workplace, one union.

We found out how powerful such a union can be. When management baulked at the our filming Kang, the union simply insisted and we were allowed to continue.

Like others here, Kang works ten hours a day, alternating between five and six days work each week to make his pay packet worth taking home.

Kang at home with family

12.31.05

Colgan:  In the last 10 years, life has improved steadily for Kang Bong-Jin and his wife Jung-yol.

His wages have increased enough to afford some luxuries to plump out the small apartment in which they live with their eight month old daughter.

Kang:  In terms of material progress, yes there has been change.

Kang

Before, only one or two  out of a hundred workers owned cars - now, around sixty out of a hundred.  So more than half own cars.  But beneath the material progress the social system has not been improved much.

13.03.01

Mrs Kang cooking

Colgan:  Ten years ago, on the eve of democracy, the Kangs expected great social change.

13.27.04

Kang:  We had high expectations and hopes and though there have been  some recent reforms by the government the changes were not made for the good of the people.  That's why we're so angry.

Kangs eating dinner

Colgan:  Jung-yol is a teacher.

13.56.18

Teachers and public servants are not allowed to form unions. And she has no right to equal pay with her male colleagues. If the government persists with its new labour law, there is little for them to fall back on if either loses their job.

Singing

Kang and Colgan at rally

Colgan:  Today is a designated strike day, and the workers of Ulsan come out to rally in their tens of thousands.

14.21.23

The threat posed by the new labour law to their job security has crystallised demands for greater labour rights.

Strikes like today's, for example, are illegal, and trade union leaders face arrest for organising them.

Rally

Colgan:  These rallies have a festive air to them, including slogan shouting contests, won today by Kang Bong-Jin. But they also provide their only forum for a political voice.

Kang:  This is what it feels like to be like a human being. I feel very strongly for my workmates - I'm sure we're going to win this.

15.07.06

Colgan:  The temptation for the government is to turn back the clock - to return to a more authoritarian rule that makes it so much easier to control the economy and the people.

Dr Cho interview

Dr Cho:  If our economy does not perform very well, we are all losers. Workers and management and the government are all losers if our economy does not perform very well.

15.29.09

Colgan:  Dr Yoon Je Cho is a senior adviser to the government, and has helped design its plans for revitalising South Korea's economy.

Colgan:  Isn't it true that these changes will take away much of the stability that workers have come to rely on.

Dr Cho:  It is true, yeah. This is the life that we are facing. And every country in the world is facing. Now competition has become more keen and keen every day in the world market.

Colgan:  A painful process for some, though?

Dr Cho:  Well I think we can afford these pains.

Colgan:  Can the workers afford that pain, do you think?

Dr Cho:  I think so, yeah. Yeah, I'm confident. Actually this is not much painful process.

Rally

Colgan:  Obviously some would disagree.

16.21.21

Kwon Young-kil:  This new labour law is much worse than the previous law.  The government listened to the voice of big business and the law represents the position of big business.  This is why we describe the Kim Young-Sam government as democratic in name only and in practice, against real change and against workers.

Cathedral grounds

Colgan:  For nearly a month now, the unions have successfully waged their campaign against the government, from the confines of Myongdong Cathedral grounds.

16.47.21

Attracting the attention of the world's media, they've not denied South Korea's economic problems, but argue the burden of change is not being evenly shared.

Kwon Young-kil

Super:

KWON YOUNG-KIL

KCTU President

Kwon Young-kil:  Of course the political circus including President Kim Young-Sam will try to move to a position of dialogue but we totally reject such superficial moves and until the laws are revised we'll keep on fighting.

17.11.00

Colgan:  The unions have so far pushed the government to consider rewriting the laws - but that may not be enough.

Prof Moon

Prof Moon:  It is not the end of the game. I would say it is the beginning of the game. Look, I really don't think the ruling party will come up with 100 per cent concession to the labour demands. And labour will protest.

17.38.19

Colgan in city street

Colgan:  Just days from now the government faces the deadline set by the trade unions for repealing its controversial labour law. If it fails to do so, the country will once again be plunged into a series of national strikes and protests.

17.53.06

That will be the next test for the government of President Kim Young-Sam, which has promised to follow the processes of democracy.

Protestors

Negus

Negus:  Jill Colgan in South Korea. And it would be a toss up right now to decide whether the greatest threat to South Korea's stability is external or internal. This week's postcard is from Bangladesh, not so much a country, but one huge river delta. Under these geographical circumstances, not surprisingly, fishing is pretty much a way of life. With some unusual help for the fisherpersons. Here's Dominique Schwartz.

18.22.06

Mouth of Ganges/Sunderban National Park

Music

18.47.23

Schwartz:  In the world's most crowded country, it's hard to imagine there's any room for nature.

19.04.11

But the Sunderban National Park, at the mouth of the Ganges River, resonates with the call of the wild.

Music/Animals

Otters in wooden crate

Schwartz:  Well, wouldn't you be wild too, stuck in a box like this?

19.33.23

The otter may not be as famous as Bangladesh's illusive Bengali Tiger, but stand in its way at meal time, and I bet it could be every bit as ferocious.

Ganendro

Schwartz:  So do you have to have a special relationship with the otters?

20.22.05

Ganendro:  Relationship? It's as you see it.

Otters eating fish

Schwartz:  I'd imagined a story about a romantic way of life. About the devotion between a man and his otters. You'd think by now, I'd know better.

20.29.09

Ganendro on river in boat

Music

20.55.03

Schwartz:  Every year, before the winter fishing season, Ganendro and his neighbours pack up their otters, bid their families farewell, and head downstream to the Sunderban.

Ganendro leading otters into river

The first dip of the season is always a shock, so Ganendro provides some gentle encouragement.

21.13.19

While the otters acclimatise, the fisherman cast their nets.

Music

Schwartz:  The otters work in pairs, swimming to the bank, herding up any fish or shrimp and driving them back into the net. At least, that's the theory.

Sometimes however, herding the otters is a task in itself.

22.02.13

About the only thing Ganendro is catching today, are the otters, hitching a ride.

Music

Fishermen on river

Schwartz:  Unfortunately, keeping control of the TV team is even more difficult - as these hapless folk would soon discover.

22.25.00

Fisherman:  Snake! Snake! Go away! Go away!

Schwartz:  A snake had been ensnared in the net.

No, the cameraman wasn't bitten. He just crashed through the decking.

Schwartz apologising

Ganendro was ever the diplomat.

22.49.17

Ganendro:  When you go back to your office you will have better chairs to sit on.

Otters in river

Schwartz:  Nevertheless, compared to us, the otters were beginning to look like angels.

23.00.22

Schwartz:  How do you train the otters to catch the fish?

Ganendro:  When the otters are babies we put them into the water with their mother and father - so they learn how to dive early.

Schwartz:  And what about the otters? Do you like otters?

Ganendro:   Yes, I like them. To me they are my friends. It's because of them that I can make money. They will bring fish and we will sell the fish to get money for food.

Singing

Schwartz:  At the close of day, it's time to unwind and prepare the evening meal.

Singing

Fisherman with otter beside camp fire

Schwartz:  Before leaving, we tried for one last glimpse of the otters.

24.23.19

The fishermen did their best to help. But our furry friends had had enough of us.

No doubt, so too had the fishermen, but they were far to generous to say.

Singing

Negus

Negus:  Dominique Schwartz, with the otter fishermen of Bangladesh, and in case you're wondering, we did help them fix their boat. That's it for this week, join us again at the same time next week, for another edition of Foreign Correspondent. See you then.

24.53.20