Police Fail to Execute Arrest Warrant for Yang Kyung-soo, Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions

Yang Kyung-soo, chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), who was issued an arrest warrant for leading large-scale rallies in violation of quarantine guidelines in downtown Seoul, is holding a press conference at the KCTU office in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 18th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The police attempted to execute an arrest warrant for Yang Kyung-soo, chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), but the attempt failed.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's July 3 Illegal Protest Investigation Headquarters visited the Kyunghyang Newspaper building in Jeong-dong, Jung-gu, where the KCTU office is located, at around 11:40 a.m. on the 18th to execute the arrest warrant but withdrew at around 12:55 p.m., about 1 hour and 15 minutes later. This was the first attempt to execute the warrant five days after it was issued on the 13th.

The police met with KCTU lawyers in front of the Kyunghyang Newspaper building, where a press conference was being held, showed the arrest warrant, and requested cooperation. A representative from the Jongno Police Station in Seoul said, "We confirmed that Chairman Yang attended the press conference at 11 a.m. that day, so we came to execute the arrest warrant," and added, "Please cooperate with the execution."

In response, the KCTU lawyers said, "There is currently only an arrest warrant, and no search and seizure warrant," and added, "In 2013, the police attempted to enter the KCTU building but were ruled illegal by the Constitutional Court. Please obtain a lawful search and seizure warrant from the court and get consent from other tenants in the building to execute the warrant lawfully."

A representative from the Jongno Police Station stated, "We deeply regret that Chairman Yang did not cooperate with the execution of the warrant," and added, "We plan to attempt to execute the warrant again following legal procedures."

Chairman Yang was issued an arrest warrant on the 13th on 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).

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