On March 25 the Governing Body of the ILO adopted a report made by the Committee on Freedom of Association supporting the right of migrant workers in Korea, regardless of status, to form and join labor union and calling for an end to measures such as targeted arrests and deportations aimed at interfering with their union activities. This report, issued in response to a complaint submitted by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) concerning the case of the Migrants Trade Union, is an important victory for migrant workers seeking to organize, not only in Korea, but also around the world.

Background of the Case

In December 2007, ITUC and KCTU submitted a complaint to the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association (CFA) in relation to repression by the South Korean government against the Migrants Trade Union (MTU), a union formed by undocumented migrant workers in 2005. Since MTU