Mr.

Moon Jae-in
President of the Republic of South Korea

Dear President Moon Jae-in:

I am writing on behalf of Asociación Nacional de Empleados Públicos y Privados de Costa Rica- ANEP
(National Association of Public and Private Employees of Costa Rica)to express our commitment to
the international trade union campaign against the persecution and detention of trade union
leaders in South Korea and to request their immediate release and the dismissal of the charges
against Han Sang-gyun, President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU); Lee Young-
joo, former Secretary General of the KCTU; and of all other trade unionists imprisoned on the
grounds of the human rights they exercised in the demonstrations against regressive labor reforms.

Both the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the United Nations Human Rights Council and
the Committee on Freedom of Association of the International Labor Organization have stated that
the detention of Han Sang-gyun and the other imprisoned trade unionists has been imposed
arbitrarily and in violation of international human rights instruments. Both international
organizations have expressly requested the South Korean State to respect and secure human rights,
in particular labor rights including the right to strike, not to apply punitive power in the context of
peaceful social demonstrations and to immediately release all arbitrarily imprisoned trade unionists.

Mr. President, freedom of association is a fundamental human right in every rule of law and
democracy. In accordance with international human rights standards, all workers must be able to
enjoy the right to organize and act collectively to defend their rights and interests, and all State
agents are obliged to respect and secure the exercise of said right. According to the ILO Committee
on Freedom of Association, no person should be deprived of liberty nor be subject to criminal
sanctions merely for organizing or participating in peaceful strikes or other forms of protest or public
meetings.

The trade union movement of the Americas condemns all repression and criminalization of the right
to strike and any other form of peaceful union protest. We demand that your Government respect
workers’ rights and apply the necessary measures to end the persecution of trade union leaders,
immediately releasing the detained trade unionists.

Asociación Nacional de Empleados Públicos y Privados de Costa Rica- ANEP

(National Association of Public and Private Employees of Costa Rica)