On Friday, June 26, 2026, at 7 p.m., the Ulsan Dong-gu Ilsan Beach Square hosted the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Migrant Workers’ Struggle Cultural Festival. Over 400 migrant workers and 200 resident workers gathered under the demands of ‘Oppose wage cuts’ and ‘Oppose performance-based pay.’ Participants loudly chanted slogans such as ‘Withdraw the bad contract,’ ‘Cancel wage cuts,’ ‘Stop meal discrimination,’ ‘Stop overtime discrimination,’ ‘Stop bonus discrimination,’ and ‘Guarantee contract renewal.’ The heartfelt cry of ‘Struggle!’ echoed across the sea in front of Ulsan Dong-gu.

Comrade Kim Hyun-joo, director of the Ulsan Migrant Center, opened the festival with greetings in Korean, followed by greetings in Sinhala from Comrade Chaminda of the Metalworkers’ Union Seongseo Industrial Complex branch. Workers from Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Nepal, and resident workers cheered. From the stage truck, videos were shown covering the demands raised at the June 13 rally at the Migrant Center, the June 17 resolution rally, and the problems migrant workers face at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.

The festival was attended by unionized workers from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and subcontractors, Ulsan-area workers, solidarity participants who filled a 45-seat bus from Seoul, and workers and organizations from Daegu, Gyeongju, Busan, Cheongju, Hwaseong, as well as labor, civic, and human rights groups, and migrant organizations affiliated with ‘People Have Come.’ Although HD Hyundai tried to block participation by assigning overtime, migrant workers continued to arrive late into the evening. Many stood alongside the long line of festival participants.

The event began with remarks from Yang Kyung-su, chair of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). He expressed deep sorrow over the hatred and violence against migrant workers prevalent in Korean society, stressing that the problems at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries stem from this reality and must be corrected immediately. He warned the company that if the issue is not resolved, the KCTU will mobilize all its strength. He emphasized that if migrant workers had freedom to change workplaces, the company could not have carried out such repression. The migrant workers responded with chants of ‘Struggle!’

Later, Kim Hyung-su, vice-chair of the Metalworkers’ Union, greeted workers in multiple languages: ‘Ayubowan, Sawasdee, Xin chào, Hello, Nice to meet you.’ He pledged that the union would actively support the migrant workers’ struggle, noting that migrant workers already play an important role in the Korean economy and society. He announced the creation of a department within the union dedicated to improving migrant workers’ conditions and urged them to raise their voices proudly as members of Korean society. He called on them not to give up, but to fight together for freedom to change workplaces.

Videos showed solidarity photos from comrades organized by the ‘Movement to Create a Chungbuk Without Irregular Workers,’ supporting the migrant workers’ struggle. The workers shouted ‘Struggle!’ with joy. The cheers, whistles, raised fists, and placards filled the square. Performances by the Hyundai Heavy Industries union’s dance troupe added energy to the struggle. Migrant workers waved red flags and placards, joined by solidarity flags from across the country, covering the night sea with banners and chants.

Sri Lankan migrant worker representatives took the stage. One worker thanked Sri Lankan workers and workers of all nations, even inviting managers spying on the event to join. He denounced HD Hyundai Heavy Industries as notorious for brutal labor repression, saying that workers gathered to resist wage cuts and oppression. He stressed that while the company profits greatly, it does not pay workers fairly, and warned that resident workers could also face similar repression. He called for united struggle against the bad contracts.

Another Sri Lankan representative criticized the government’s anti-labor policies, saying the president must act, not just speak. He noted that many migrant workers had been forced to return home last year, some even going to war-torn countries like Israel to find work. Those unable to return home were forced into undocumented labor. He demanded that HD Hyundai withdraw the ‘bad contract’ imposing performance-based pay and treat migrant workers with dignity. He said the company had taken 30% of wages over three years and must return them. He concluded by calling for legal rights for all workers in Korea, migrant and resident alike.

This rally included not only Sri Lankan workers, as in previous rallies, but also over 100 Vietnamese workers, along with Thai, Bangladeshi, Uzbek, and Nepali workers, showing expanding unity. At a joint publicity event the day before, Vietnamese workers expressed willingness to join the struggle. One Vietnamese worker spoke, with translation provided by union comrade Yoon Da-hye. He said workers from many countries are suffering wage cuts and rights violations, facing threats such as ‘no contract renewal or visa extension.’ He stressed that migrant workers are being driven into undocumented status by unjust systems. He concluded by saying that while the president claims migrant workers should be treated like resident workers, reality is different, and employers must treat workers fairly.

Each speech was met with cheers and applause. Migrant workers shared how they were forced to sign worsened contracts against their will, under threats of being barred from other jobs or deported. At the festival, collective signatures declared ‘contract changes invalid.’ While workers signed, Sri Lankan workers performed songs from their history, and Vietnamese workers also sang. The festival was filled with passion and solidarity.

After performances, a Sri Lankan worker from Gyeongnam, who had joined every rally since June 13, spoke, encouraging comrades to fight to the end. The festival concluded with a video of resolutions announced at previous rallies, and the announcement of a nationwide migrant workers’ rally to be held on Sunday, July 5, at 2 p.m. in front of the main gate of Hyundai Heavy Industries. Participants shouted together toward each other and the blue night sea: ‘July 5,’ ‘Let’s gather!,’ ‘Hyundai Heavy Industries,’ ‘At the main gate!’ The festival ended with chants, applause, and cries of struggle.

At HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, even resident workers often fear speaking out against repression. Yet migrant workers, in harsher conditions, raised their voices boldly against exploitation and discrimination. Their courage was immense — a great step in workers’ history against capital’s exploitation. Many participants were moved to tears. Let us not lose the courage to struggle and win workers’ rights. Let us respond to migrant workers rising against performance-based pay, division, discrimination, and exploitation with unity and solidarity!

Withdraw the bad contract!
Cancel wage cuts!
Stop meal discrimination!
Stop bonus discrimination!
Stop overtime discrimination!
Guarantee contract renewal!
Struggle!

July 5 — Let’s gather at the main gate of Hyundai Heavy Industries!

Originally published in Korean on June 29 in March to Socialism.

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