Chow Hang Tung, a person of Actions on Belief

Na Hyun-pil (Korean House for International Solidarity)

I would like to introduce Ms. Chow Hang Tung, the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights winner this year, by starting with the story of his relationship with Korea. Most of our readers may still remember that many workers were victimized by occupational disasters at Samsung Electronics and civic groups, such as Banolim, have long protested to resolve this issue. The press conference held in front of Samsung Electronics, on June 20, 2012, was one such occasion, where participants at the Global Strategy Meeting on Sustainable Electronics Industry gathered along with Banolim to denounce the electronics giant. Chow Hang Tung was there, too.

At that time, she was a labor activist herself and came to Korea in solidarity with those victims. Human rights issues were brought to her attention while she was studying in the UK. After returning to Hong Kong, she joined the “Labor Action China” where she investigated labor rights violations and took counteractions to address them. Then she began to pay attention also to human rights violations by multinational corporations in other Asian countries, like South Korea and Japan and became an active member of the Asian Transnational Corporation Monitoring Network. It was at the meeting of the Network held in Taiwan that I first encountered her in 2011. Hang Tung was aggressively involved in collaboration with Korean activists to address such issues as occupational disasters at Samsung Electronics and layoff at Ssangyong Motors. Later she turned herself into a human rights lawyer, no longer involved in labor movements, but we’ve been still friends sparing time to meet every year. We are eight years apart but getting to know her as a friend has been indeed a blessing for me.

As a human rights lawyer, Ms. Hang Tung fought for democracy and human rights in China. She was the deputy head of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China that led candlelight vigils at Victoria Park, Hong Kong every June 4, in commemoration of the Tiananmen Square protests on June 4, 1989. Massive rallies began in Hong Kong in June 2019 protesting against the extradition bill that allowed sending criminals back to China. Korean activists put up intense movements across Korea, including Gwangju, in solidarity with Hong Kong protestors. I myself flew to Hong Kong to join the rallies in November 2019 where I had a chance to meet Ms. Hang Tung after a long while. She expressed concerns that these protests should not simply be a boycott against China to pursue democracy in Hong Kong. Later I learned she came under harsh criticism for holding the view as such.

The Hong Kong authorities banned candlelight vigils in the run-up to June 4, 2021. The official reason for banning candlelight vigils was quarantine for the COVID-19 pandemic but the truth is that the National Security Law enacted after the rallies in 2019 strictly prohibited any assemblies protesting against the authorities in Hong Kong and China. The ban, however, could not keep Ms. Hang Tung from organizing candlelight vigils and she was arrested in the morning on June 4. That was the beginning of repeated probations and imprisonments and her steadfast commitment touched the hearts of many in Hong Kong. Labor unions and civic groups in Hong Kong decided to disband after the enactment of the National Security Law but Ms. Hang Tung appealed from the prison that they should not give up even without fighting back. She even firmly turned down the offer of the Hong Kong authorities that they would allow her probation on the condition that she should not participate in any external activities or make official remarks after release. Everyone was keeping silent at that time as if Hong Kong was virtually under martial law but Ms. Hang Tung refused to keep quiet and continued her courageous protests like a candlelight guiding democracy.

Legal battles have yet to be over and Ms. Hang Tung is fighting back her indictment pinpointing evey unjustifiable ground. And she still keeps learning. Once I got a call from one of her acquaintances asking me to recommend her good materials to read about Korea’s democracy while in prison. It is uncertain when I will get to see her again but I know for certain that Ms. Hang Tung is a person who keeps learning and lives what she believes is right. As a labor activist, human rights lawyer, and even prisoner of conscience today who earns international recognition, Ms. Hang Tung has always devoted herself to a greater cause, and I have confidence in her and the track record of her life as such.

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2023 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Winner Announcement, 

Hong Kong Human Rights Lawyer ‘Chow Hang-Tung’

Has been a symbol of courage and hope for the people of Hong Kong despite the yoke of National Security Law

Special Prize,‘The Coordination Council of Iranian Teacher Trade Association’

Showing solidarity against Iranian Government’s Anti-Human Rights Education Policies

- Awards Ceremony 2023. 5. 18. (Thursday) 19:00, May 18 Democracy Square outdoor stage

 ▲ From left: Chow Hang-Tung, The Coordination Council of Iranian Teacher Trade Association

 + 2023 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Winner Announcement (2 May, 2023) 

 + Imprisoned Hong Kong activist wins Gwangju Prize for Human Rights / The Korean Times (3 May, 2023)

 + Hong Kong slams South Korean rights group over award for jailed activist, says move intended to ‘flagrantly glorify’ illegal acts / South China Morinig Post (9 May, 2023)

 + Beijing asks rights group to withdraw award to jailed Hong Kong barrister / Radio Free Asia (10 May, 2023)

 + Korean NGO says Chinese officials visited office after they awarded rights prize to detained Hong Kong Tiananmen activist / HKFP (11 May, 2023)