This Month at PSPD

April 2022

We reported Coupang and CPLB to the Fair Trade Commission

Through its subsidiary CPLB, Coupang Private Label Business, Coupang has been copying the popular products of small and middle-sized companies and branding them as their own, managing their search algorithm to be exposed above the products of the suppliers. The newly raised allegation is that they have been systematically writing reviews by bringing their personnel since July 2021. Discriminative actions, unfair support, and improper call-in of the customers are all a breach of the Fair Trades Act, and the fraudulent sign or ads would be against the <Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising>. We reported Coupang and CPLB to the Fair Trade Commission for these reasons.

Preparing the national political agenda comes before the plan to move the presidential office

The presidential transition committee of the elected candidate Yoon Seok-yeol officially kicked off. We express our concern on how the committee brought up pardoning the past president who received bribes as their main reason in the process, instead of the policies related to people’s livelihood such as the compensation of the loss from COVID19 or the countermeasure on the security crisis in and out of the country. Rather than begin the term by hastily moving the Blue House, the committee should sketch the five years of the administration and start from tune the underdeveloped policies.

Stop the War in Ukraine

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is still going on. The death toll and the number of refugees have been increasing day by day, and the cease of war that the whole world so dearly wish for did not happen yet. With the arms support of the U.S. and Europe, they are getting more worried about its acceleration. We should end the war as soon as possible. Civil society groups, including PSPD, have been conducting a peace action in front of the Russian Embassy in Korea to ask for the stop of the invasion and retreat of troops. Please be with us with your peace-hoping minds. 

• To check the demonstration schedule: www.peoplepower21.org/Peace

One year since the LH land speculation scandal, what has changed, and how much?

It has been a year since the PSPD and Minbyun-Lawyers for a Democratic Society raised allegations against the LH Korea Land & Housing Corporation about their speculation on Gwangmyeong and Siheong. On March 15, we opened a roundtable to analyze what has changed in the past year. While there was a rapid investigation from the government and the police, investigations on land on a regular basis are additionally needed. While there were policy amendments such as the enactment of the Special Act on Housing and the Act on The Prevention of Conflict of Interest, the reform on the farming land, which was the object of the speculation, as well as the agricultural land diversion system remains as homework.

We visited the General Meeting of Stockholders of HDC

From the massive construction accidents of the HDC(Hyundai Development Company), many have lost their lives, and the regional community, as well as the workers, were injured. The National Pension has to bear the burden of over 80 billion KRW. In order to prevent repetitive accidents from happening, the board of directors has to be held responsible, and a safety management non-executive director has to be placed. PSPD gathered small shareholders to exercise opposing rights to the item and asked for the management board to be replaced and a preventive method to be prepared.

8th year since the Sewol ferry incident

This year again, we reminded ourselves of the promise of “we won’t forget, we will remember” to find April around the corner. PSPD Seochon Yellow Ribbon Workshop provides the “yellow ribbon DIY kit” in order for the people to make the yellow ribbons for the Sewol ferry and share them with their friends and neighbors around them. We also led the teens to 4.16 Memorial Hall visits every Saturday in April.

Translated by Hyewon Yoon  (Volunteer of PSPD)

Korean Version>>