What Recovery? April 17, 1999 Video of the Demonstration Korea has a long tradition of demonstrations - ten years ago they were held to protest the undemocratic policies of the government. Today, they are held to protest the economic reform policies Kim Dae Jung, Korea's first democratically elected opposition leader to become president.  This protest was held on April 17 and organized by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, one of the country's most aggressive labor organizations and one of the President's traditional bastions of support. However, seventeen months after the economic crisis gripped the nation, the labor movement feels that they have been forced to carry more than their fair share of the burdens of economic reform.  Korea's huge conglomerates (chaebol) have had to sacrifice little, while millions of workers have been laid off. An interview  with Kim Young Il Secretary General of  the  Pusan Chapter of KCTU A diverse group of more than 1500 workers began this protest at Pusan Station.  Led by union officials carrying a banner that said 'Change the Labor hours' they began a march toward Somyeon accompanied by almost 400 riot police.   When they came to the labor ministry office near Choryang, the protesters stopped, made some particularly impassioned speeches and...    ...began throwing eggs.  KCTU has been disappointed in the ministry's lack of support for the demands for their basic demands.   Once the building was sufficiently shelled, protesters marched on toward Somyeon. As police provided a barrier against traffic, a crack squad of spray painters and poster hangers covered the sidewalks with their messages. This spray painted message says 'Stop the layoffs' Songnae Haego (job arrangement) is a euphemism for massive firings or downsizing that have resulted from economic reforms. The flier to the right is a fictitious presidential proclamation in which Kim Dae Jung announces a reduction of the 44 hour work week, benefits for the unemployed and a return to pre-crisis salary levels.   Those caught in traffic could only wait and watch as the lengthy procession passed.  As minutes turned into hours some of the protesters themselves seemed to get distracted - spending more time on their mobile phones or stopping for a fresh pack of cigarettes.   Still, the march paraded on, much to the interest of citizens it passed by.  The leaflet squad handed out fliers and while some people refused, most seemed genuinely interested in reading what they had to say.   Around Pomil-dong, just 1km before Somyeon, the columns of marchers and police separated.  While the demonstrators went off to egg another building, the police took a much welcome break.  This was a beautiful, sunny  spring day and they must have been getting hot under all that gear.  After a smoke and some chatting, orders were screamed, on went the gear and the march continued.   As marchers filed onto the main road between DaeWha Dept. Store and Daehan theater the police formed lines 10 deep at points in preparation of any frontal assault.  However, there was almost no sense of confrontation in the air and in fact the overall energy level seemed to have faded - perhaps from the long march, perhaps from too many protests in the last  17 months which have resulted in too little change in their everyday lives.  The most excited people seemed to be the street vendors who suddenly had  booming business as crowds gathered to watch the goings on.  As more speeches were made, some protesters' attentions strayed further.  Then, after a final fist raising 'sheejak', the event was declared over and the demonstrators quickly faded into the throngs of Somyeon shoppers.