Calls growing against ’Hope Bus’ rally

By Lee Hyo-sik

Residents in Busan are mounting calls on labor activists to stop holding a protest rally in support of dismissed shipbuilding workers this weekend when the southeastern port city hosts the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).

Labor activists, civic group members and citizens have held the so-called ``Hope Bus’’ rallies four times so far and the organizers plan the fifth round of protest on Oct. 8-9 during which Busan hosts the film festival. The internationally-renowned film festival will begin on Oct. 6 and last through 14.

The rallies have been organized in protest of massive layoffs of unionized workers at Yeongdo shipyard by Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) in the port city.

They are gathering in Busan to support Kim Jin-sook, a former Hanjin Heavy worker and member of the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), who has been staging a sit-in protest atop a 35-meter giant crane at its shipyard since January.

However, protest organizers, including members of KCTU and the Democratic Labor Party, are facing growing opposition from Busan residents, particularly those associated with conservative civic groups, sparking violent confrontation between the two sides in past rallies.

Municipal administrations and civic groups in Busan said the rally has caused severe traffic congestion, negatively affected the regional economy and damaged the city’s image, demanding the protest be halted or held elsewhere.

They said they will not allow any of the Hope Bus rally participants to enter the city during the film festival, urging the police to crack down on the illegal protesters.

On Sept. 30, more than 100 representatives of civic groups based in Busan came to Seoul to pay a visit to National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Hyun-oh, demanding the law enforcement authorities get tougher on Hope Bus protesters.

``We told the police chief that Busan residents are furious over a series of illegal protests in the name of supporting Hanjin Heavy workers. We said we will mobilize all possible measures to prevent the planned rally from being held during the film festival,’’ Choi Sang-gi, chairman of the Busan Pan-Citizens’ Union, said after a meeting with the commissioner. Choi said he asked Cho to stop protesters from disrupting the international event.

In response, the commissioner said police will take stern measures against those engaging in illegal protests in accordance with the law, requesting Busan residents refrain from clashing with Hope Bus demonstrators. Cho said all protests held after sunset will be banned in Busan, adding about 10,000 riot police will be deployed to protest sites.

Early last month, members of progressive political parties and civic groups announced a plan to hold the fifth round of Hope Bus protests, drawing strong criticism from Busan residents. The organizers said they will host a gathering in front of the Yeongdo shipyard on Oct. 8-9 to demand Hanjin Heavy rehire all dismissed workers.

Following the announcement, the Busan Metropolitan Government issued a statement, saying the planned protest may cause severe traffic congestion throughout the city and damage its international image.

The Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged Hope Bus protestors to retract their decision, saying the demonstration will throw Hanjin Heavy and the entire local community into chaos.

Yeongdo district resident associations also vented anger at demonstrators, demanding they stop disrupting the daily life of residents and causing financial damage to the regional economy.