A WARM SALUTE TO A GREAT WORKING CLASS HERO

Today, April 18, 2007 is the day Comrade Huh Se-uk, a recent hero of the working class is laid to rest. He will be remembered not only as a hero of the Korean workers and the Korean people but a hero of the entire working class.

It is indeed with great sadness that we in the KMU learned of his death just last April 15, 2007, fifteen days after he bravely torched himself in front of the Nam San Hyatt Hotel where the representatives of the south Korean government and the United States were maneuvering the final high-level FTA negotiations, ignoring the just and genuine demands of the Korean people. Even when the flames had engulfed his body, his spirit is still in protest as he continued to chant: Down with the Korea-US FTA! Step down Roh Moo-hyun! The ultimate sacrifice of Comrade Huh Se-uk by giving up his life showed how much he felt and knew of the betrayal made by the South Korean government on the Korean workers and people’s interest.

The transfer of the US military base to Pyongteak was one of the issues Comrade Huh Se-uk was protesting. He wanted us to remember the two girls who were killed by the US troops. He did not want any more of this mockery of the Korean people by the US.

It was indeed with great sense of pride and patriotism that among his call is for all the Koreans to genuinely struggle for the reunification of the people of Korea. One country and only one Korea. His call was very clear for the Korean people to struggle against the imperialist United States’ intervention to stop the two Koreas to be reunified on their own terms.

Up to his last breath, he remained a genuine leader of the working class. He is an irregular worker and he has spoken to his fellow taxi drivers not to fundraise money for him as he knew they are wanting too. He was and wanted to remain a working class leader forever. He remained an anti-US imperialist up to the end.

Comrade Huh Se-uk’s memories will forever live in our hearts and minds. His greatness and unselfish sacrifice will forever be an inspiration to everyone of us to heighten the struggle against the U.S. imperialism all over the world.

Let us not put to waste all that he had fought for up to the time of his ultimate sacrifice for the people of Korea!

Warm solidarity on behalf of the Filipino working class!

(SGD)

Elmer C. Labog

Chairperson