SEOUL -- ‘Modern and sophisticated’ is the image being pedalled by South Korean leaders in the run-up to the soccer World Cup, during which the country will be the focus of unprecedented international interest.

But a global trade union campaign launched last month tells a different story. Korea’s ten new soccer stadiums fail to disguise a government using antiquated legislation and a police force with a tendency to use violence to repress workers’ rights. They also cannot hide the numerous trade union leaders behind bars.

Anti-union violence is rife. In just one example this year, at the inaugural conference of the Korean Government Employees Union on March 23, around 1000 anti-riot police forced their way in and arrested 192 delegates.

Football fans may see one side of South Korea, but what they won’t see are around 30 trade union leaders incarcerated for activities which are protected as fundamental human rights in the true ‘modern’ world.

In an effort to highlight the reality of modern Korea, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) has launched an internet-based awareness campaign.

As part of a wide-ranging Global Unions campaign (www.global-unions.org/korea2002), unions around the world will be voicing their discontent about the unionists behind bars who most certainly won’t be at the world cup.

A day of action will take place on June 27th, when member unions across the globe will protest outside their respective Korean embassies and send letters to Korean President, Kim Dae-jung.