Bottles of drinking water sent by citizens are piled up at the Korean Optical High Tech factory in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, on December 25. (Image provided by the North Gyeongsang branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions)
GUMI, Dec. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — On Christmas morning, hundreds of bottles of drinking water were delivered to the Korean Optical High Tech factory in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, where two dismissed workers have been staging a grueling rooftop sit-in protest for 352 days.
The delivery was a result of a spontaneous nationwide campaign sparked by a plea for help shared on social media.
The workers, Park Jung-hye and So Hyun-sook, have endured harsh conditions atop the factory building, relying on limited water supplies since the company cut off access to the facility’s water in September 2023. While agricultural water brought up by union members suffices for sanitation, clean drinking water has been a scarce necessity.
A call for assistance posted on social media by the Korean Metal Workers’ Union late on Christmas Eve triggered an outpouring of solidarity from across the country. By midday on Christmas, over 1,000 bottles of water had been delivered in waves.
Citizens, touched by the workers’ plight, also sent heartfelt messages and small tokens of support, including fruits and personal notes.
One supporter, calling from Seoul, thanked the workers for their fight for better labor conditions. Others quietly dropped off water bottles at the protest site. A young woman, who personally delivered supplies, told union representatives she was moved to act after reading about the situation on social media.
The protest stems from the factory’s closure following a fire in October 2022. The Japanese parent company, Nitto Denko, opted to liquidate the operation without retaining the workers.
The protesters have since demanded job transfers to another Nitto subsidiary in Pyeongtaek. Park and So have spent nearly a year on the factory roof, symbolizing the long battle for workers’ rights.
The call for solidarity extends beyond the protest site. Financial contributions to support the workers’ cause surged after a recent farmers’ rally highlighted their struggle. Donors attached messages of encouragement, including, “Stay strong” and “This is my hourly wage.”
The striking workers expressed deep gratitude for the support. Park, who recently joined social media, said she was overwhelmed by the rapid response. “I did not expect such swift and widespread solidarity,” she said. “I am incredibly thankful to those who took meaningful action.”
Despite being overshadowed by the ongoing political turmoil in South Korea, including fallout from President Yoon Suk Yeol’s controversial martial law declaration, the workers’ protest has captured renewed public attention.
“In a time when major political scandals dominate headlines, this outpouring of solidarity is a reminder of the enduring power of collective action,” said Bae Tae-sun, a union official.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
