(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Workers in Russia and South Korea took to the streets on Friday to mark the International Workers Day, commonly known as May Day or Labor Day, an annual occasion when they demand more payment or better working environment.
In The Russian capital of Moscow, tens of thousands marched with banners demanding higher salaries and improving working conditions. The main rally was organized by the Federation of the Russian Trade Unions.
The opposition, Communist and the Liberal Democratic Parties led parallel protests urging the government to resign, and demanding a remedy for unemployment.
Reportedly, 2.5 million people took part in the demonstrations in several Russian cities.
In Seoul, thousands of South Korean workers held rallies today to protest a recent government move to amend the labor law. There are fears that the amendment will take toll on the civil servants.
Workers were joined by relatives of more than 305 victims who died in the Sewol ferry that sank a year ago, asking for the real reasons of the disaster. The Seoul police expected riots during a march slated for Saturday afternoon.
In Algeria, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika urged people south of the country to be alert and stand against "those seeking to incite sedition and division among the Algerian people." In a May Day message directed to workers in the south at the backdrop of their May Day protests, Bouteflika said he is convinced that they are seeking legitimate demands, just like their counterparts north of the country.
He stressed in the meantime the necessity of "urgent" development saying that the government is exerting great efforts in that respect. (end)
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