2016 ITUC Global Rights Index - Korea, Republic of
| Publisher | International Trade Union Confederation |
| Publication Date | 9 June 2016 |
| Cite as | International Trade Union Confederation, 2016 ITUC Global Rights Index - Korea, Republic of, 9 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5799aa6911.html [accessed 15 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
KCTU leader arrested in wave of repression as many more trade unionists faced possible charges: A warrant was issued in November for the arrest of Han Sang-kyun, the leader of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), for organising marches and rallies to call for justice for the victims of the ferry disaster and to protest against proposed labour reforms.
The police tried to arrest him as he addressed a meeting shortly before the 14 November rally, but union members blocked their way and Han Sang-kyun got away. Nine people were taken into custody for helping prevent the arrest, 126 faced charges of aiding the KCTU leaders escape or taking part in the "illegal" protests, and a further 450 people were warned they faced police questioning over the same issues.
Two days after the 14 November rally, Han Sang-kyun took refuge in the Jogye Buddhist temple, explaining that he owed it to the country's workers to resolve the issue of the pending labour reforms first. He finally left the temple on 10 December after the police launched an operation to remove him, clashing with temple officials. Han-Sang-kyun decided he did not want the people at the temple to suffer any further disruption. He called for a further protest against the government's reforms to be held on 16 December, and said he would expose the authorities' fierce repression of labour.
Han was held at the Namdaemun Police station in Seoul, awaiting trial. When Noriuki Suzuki of the ITUC-Asia Pacific asked for a meeting with him, the police turned down his request, citing concerns he might "destroy evidence".
In addition to charges of organising "illegal" rallies, the police asked for the KCTU leader to be charged with sedition, the first time in 29 years that such a charge had been brought.
Tower crane union members in custody: Five officials from the tower crane branch of the construction union KCWU found themselves in custody, awaiting trial, at the end of the year. Kim Myung-uk, President of the Seoul-Gyeonggi Tower Crane Operators' Branch of the KCWU, was arrested with four other members on 27 November 2015 accused of blackmailing a tower crane rental company (Junkeyung Tower Crane). The other four were Jeong Min-ho, Vice President, Tower Crane Operators' Division; Lee U-seong, President, Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang Tower Crane Operators' Branch; Ko Beom-seok, Organising Manager, Seoul-Gyeonggi Tower Crane Operators' Branch; Hwang Seong-yong, Organising Manager, Seoul-Gyeonggi Tower Crane Operators' Branch. They were actually seeking a collective agreement.
Government bans mass rally, arrests participants and raids trade union offices: When plans for a mass rally on 14 November were announced, the government declared it was illegal and issued stern warnings against taking part. The rally was called to protest against the controversial labour market reforms, the state-authored history textbooks, the falling price of rice, and youth unemployment. "We will track down and bring to justice those who incite illegal protests and engage in violent acts," said Justice Minister Kim Hyun-woong.
When the rally went ahead, with an estimated 100,000 participants, the authorities' responded with tear gas and water cannon. They also set up a police bus blockade to prevent protesters marching to the president's office, even though the use of police buses as a barricade was ruled illegal by the Constitutional Court in 2011. The police made 51 arrests and the KCTU estimated that some 500 people had been injured as a result of what it described as excessive police violence. Twenty-nine people required hospital treatment. The police said it had mobilised about 22,000 police officers, 700 police buses and water cannons to shut Gwanghwamun Square from the protestors.
The following day the Justice Minister vowed that stern action would be taken against protestors who led what he called "violent, illegal" rallies.
The following Saturday, 21 November, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency raided 12 offices of eight unions, including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), looking for evidence of participation in the rallies. The police confiscated union documents and digital forensic agents copied files from their computers.
