People Power Party: "The Ruling on Jeon-gyo-jo as an Unlawful Union Undermines Judicial Independence"

Kwon Jeong-o, Chairman of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (JeonGyoJo), and union members are shouting "Banzai" as they leave the courtroom after the Supreme Court ruling on the appeal trial for the cancellation of the notification of the illegal labor union on the 3rd at the Supreme Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Members of the People Power Party's Legislation and Judiciary Committee criticized the Supreme Court's ruling on the nationwide Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (JeonGyoJo) being an illegal union on the 3rd, stating it "has undermined the independence of the judiciary itself."

On this day, the Supreme Court ruled that JeonGyoJo is a legal union and decided to annul and remand the lawsuit seeking cancellation of the illegal union notification.

In response, the People Power Party's Legislation and Judiciary Committee members said, "While it is proper to respect the judiciary's ruling, we express serious concerns about the process and outcome of today's Supreme Court ruling and its impact on our society," pointing out that it was a "political ruling caused by the successive Supreme Court justice appointments aligned with Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo."

They stated, "This case concerns the issue where JeonGyoJo insisted on the membership status of nine teachers who were not currently employed as of October 24, 2013, leading the Ministry of Employment and Labor to issue an illegal union notification," and added, "The reason both the first and second trials ruled that the illegal union notification to JeonGyoJo was lawful is because the current Teachers' Union Act clearly stipulates that 'a labor union is not recognized if it allows membership of persons who are not teachers.'"

They continued, "The government proposed an amendment to the Teachers' Union Act on June 30 to allow non-teachers to join teachers' unions, and today's Supreme Court remand was a predictable step," criticizing, "if this ruling is used as a basis to support the government's legislative proposal, it clearly contradicts the spirit of the separation of powers that divides the legislative and judicial branches."

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