A couple continues their protest risking their lives side by side in front of the Kyunghyang Shinmun Building in Jung-gu, Seoul. Ham Gye-nam, former head of the Medical Solidarity Headquarters Seoul Regional Branch of the National Public Transport and Social Service Labor Union (Public Transport Union), marked the 15th day of their tent protest and the 5th day of their hunger strike on the 7th. On the same day, his spouse, Yang Gyu-seo, also a former head of the same union, entered the second day of a high-altitude hunger strike, tying themselves to the building's exterior wall with a rope.
The starting point of this incident dates back to January 2023 when Ham Gye-nam experienced workplace harassment at the Medical Solidarity Headquarters Seoul Regional Branch during that time. He raised the issue and demanded an investigation from the Ministry of Employment and Labor in June and from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in July of the same year. However, the Medical Solidarity Headquarters deemed it not to be workplace harassment in March of that year.
Ham's side claims that during this process, he received industrial accident approval for left shoulder impingement, right tendonitis, and moderate depression episodes. The situation worsened thereafter. In April 2023, Ham was asked to resign by the executives of the Medical Solidarity Seoul Regional Branch office, and in the same year in December, he was expelled from the union. On November 26, 2024, he was notified of disciplinary dismissal by the Medical Solidarity Headquarters.
His spouse, Yang Gyu-seo, also faced several disciplinary actions while continuing her protest activities demanding a resolution to her husband's issues. The Public Transport Union imposed disciplinary actions on Yang on October 13, 2023, for 4 months, on May 20, 2024, for 6 months, and again on May 8, 2026, for another 6 months. The cumulative disciplinary period amounts to 16 months, and the third disciplinary action is set to end in November.
Yang conducted a rooftop protest in front of the Public Transport Union for 46 days from July to August 2023, and her involvement in the protest, along with her middle school-aged son, garnered attention. She also conducted a second rooftop protest on August 5-6 this year.
This incident is also linked to the case of the late Bang Yeong-hwan, who committed self-immolation in September 2023, as he was reportedly subjected to collective harassment for supporting the protest against the harassment of Ham Gye-nam. Ham, in a statement, questioned the actions of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the Public Transport Union, the Medical Solidarity, and the Medical Solidarity Seoul Regional Branch officials, mentioning suspicions of disciplinary actions leading to Bang Yeong-hwan's death.
The unfair dismissals and disputes over wrongful employment are currently ongoing through legal proceedings. Ham Gye-nam's case of unfair dismissal (2025GuHap2931) is being pursued against the Chairman of the Central Labor Relations Commission, with the Public Transport Union's Medical Solidarity Headquarters as the co-defendant. Yang Gyu-seo's case regarding the 4 and 6-month employment decisions is under appeal at the Seoul High Court (2026Nu5058), and a separate application for relief (Seoul2026BuHae3005) has been filed regarding the most recent 6-month employment decision.
The Joint Committee of the Major Trade Unions for Workplace Harassment (Joint Committee) sent a letter to the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions on July 30 requesting a meeting, which was scheduled for September 3 at 1 pm on August 11. However, a protest began in front of the Kyunghyang Shinmun Building on August 24.
A meeting was held on September 3 at 1:30 pm with Yang Gyu-seo, the Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, in attendance. During the meeting, the Joint Committee made four demands, including new hiring by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions for Ham, reinstatement without additional disciplinary action for Yang after the November employment termination, the formation of an independent investigative body with the participation of external experts, and an investigation into the top 10 issues related to workplace harassment by the Public Transport Union.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions stated in a press release on the 7th that due to the independent operation of the Federation and individual unions in personnel matters, it is difficult for the Federation to intervene or reverse results in the hiring and disciplinary actions of individual unions. They also mentioned the difficulty of involving external personnel recommended by the National Human Rights Commission or the Ministry of Employment and Labor in the investigation. However, they left room for the possibility of an investigation if all parties, including the Public Transport Union, the Medical Solidarity Headquarters, and the individuals involved, fully agree. Chairman Yang Gyu-seo reaffirmed the stance that this issue cannot be resolved through the Federation's intervention but through direct dialogue between the Public Transport Union, the Medical Solidarity Headquarters, and the parties involved.
Despite the meeting, no agreement was reached, leading Ham to start a hunger strike along with shaving his head, and on the morning of the 6th, Yang began a high-altitude protest by tying herself to the exterior wall of the 12th floor of the building, escalating the situation. On the morning of the 6th, at 9 am, an official from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions attempted to engage in dialogue at the scene, and at 11 am, executives of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions tried to talk with Yang, Ham, and the Joint Committee's executive director, but there was no progress. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions stated that they continue to request ongoing dialogue with the two individuals.
As Yang tied herself to the exterior wall at a height of 12 floors, the fire department, responding to the report, deployed a high ladder truck and installed an air mattress on the ground to prepare for any accidents. The police also controlled traffic around the scene. Yang displayed a placard on the exterior wall stating, "Mr. President, Minister of Employment and Labor, please save me. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions fired me and disciplined me."
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions expressed deep regret for the ongoing rooftop and high-altitude protests by the two individuals, emphasizing the priority of their safety and hoping for a swift resolution through dialogue.
In a statement, Ham declared, "What we want is not something special. It is simply to stop the organization that claims to represent workers from firing workers with less than 5 employees and trampling them with workplace harassment. I will not leave this place. Comrade Yang Gyu-seo will also not come down from the heights."
📝 Brief Summary:
A couple in Seoul, Ham Gye-nam and Yang Gyu-seo, are protesting against workplace harassment and unfair dismissals. They have been on a hunger strike and high-altitude protest for days. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions has been involved in negotiations, but no agreement has been reached yet.
🗣️ Natural Korean Translation:
서울의 한 부부인 함계남과 양규서가 직장 내 괴롭힘과 불공정 해고에 반대하여 시위를 하고 있습니다. 그들은 몇 일째로 단식 투쟁과 고층 시위를 이어가고 있습니다. 대한민국 노동조합총연맹은 협상에 참여하고 있지만 아직 합의에 이르지 못했습니다.
❓ Comprehension Questions:
1. What are Ham Gye-nam and Yang Gyu-seo protesting against?
함계남과 양규서는 무엇에 반대하여 시위를 하고 있나요?
2. How long has Yang Gyu-seo been involved in protest activities?
양규서는 시위 활동에 얼마나 오래 참여했나요?
3. What demands did the Joint Committee make during the meeting on September 3?
9월 3일 회의 중 합동위원회가 어떤 요구를 했나요?
💡 Vocabulary Learning:
1. harassment (괴롭힘, noun)
- Unwanted behavior that causes fear, distress, or harm.
- 두려움, 고통 또는 해를 주는 원치 않는 행동.
- She reported the harassment to the HR department.
- 그녀는 괴롭힘을 인사 부서에 신고했습니다.
2. disciplinary (징계적인, adjective)
- Relating to punishment or correction for bad behavior.
- 나쁜 행동에 대한 처벌이나 교정과 관련된.
- The company imposed disciplinary action on the employee.
- 회사는 그 직원에게 징계 조치를 취했습니다.
3. intervention (개입, noun)
- The act of becoming involved in a situation to change what is happening.
- 상황에 개입하여 변화를 가져오려는 행위.
- The teacher's intervention helped resolve the conflict.
- 선생의 개입으로 갈등이 해결되었습니다.
4. reaffirmed (재확인하다, verb)
- To state something again, especially to show that it is still true.
- 특히 여전히 사실임을 보여주기 위해 다시 언급하다.
- The manager reaffirmed the company's commitment to safety.
- 매니저는 회사의 안전에 대한 약속을 재확인했습니다.
5. escalate (격화되다, verb)
- To become or make something become greater or more serious.
- 더 커지거나 더 심각해지도록 하다.
- The conflict between the two countries escalated quickly.
- 두 나라 간의 갈등이 빠르게 격화되었습니다.
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