'At a Crossroads of Detention' Chairman Yang Kyung-soo: "Government Shifts Quarantine Responsibility to KCTU"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] On the 11th, Yang Kyung-soo, chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), who is facing detention, claimed that the government is shifting the responsibility for COVID-19 quarantine measures onto the KCTU.

Chairman Yang held a press conference at the KCTU office in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, stating, "I will not attend the detention warrant hearing today," and explained, "I judged that resolving the suffering of workers is more urgent than appearing in court to question the appropriateness of the detention warrant."

Yang said, "The Moon Jae-in administration, which proclaimed respect for labor, betrayed the candlelight movement when we tried to discuss workers' issues. If even one-tenth of the effort spent to release Lee Jae-yong (Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics) had been used for workers, the evaluation would have been different." He continued, "They say they will release Lee Jae-yong because the detention center is overcrowded and want the KCTU to take his place. They are joining hands with conglomerates while silencing workers' voices," criticizing the government.

Chairman Yang did not attend the pre-detention suspect interrogation (detention warrant hearing). His decision not to appear seems to consider the possibility of detention following the court's issuance of the warrant. Accordingly, the police are expected to secure Yang's custody. Yang stated, "From today, my activities as chairman will be restricted, but the KCTU's general strike struggle to change the unequal world will be prepared without disruption," adding, "The struggle of workers and the people, pushed to the bottom of the K-shaped recovery and the brink of polarization, will not stop."

Judge Moon Seong-gwan, head of the detention warrant division at the Seoul Central District Court, will conduct the pre-detention suspect interrogation for Chairman Yang at 10:30 a.m. today. The court's decision on detention is expected to be announced late this afternoon. Yang faces charges of leading several illegal protests in downtown Seoul from May to July this year (violations of the Assembly and Demonstration Act and the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, among others). Earlier, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's July 3 illegal protest investigation headquarters applied for a detention warrant against Yang, who led a nationwide workers' rally with an estimated 8,000 participants (according to organizers) around Jongno, Seoul, on the 6th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.