Court to Hear Detention Review Today for Yang Kyung-soo, Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Leading Downtown Rally

Despite the quarantine authorities' demand to cancel the rally, Yang Kyung-soo, Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, went ahead with the July 3rd National Workers' Rally / Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The detention review hearing requested by Yang Kyung-soo, chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), who is accused of leading large-scale rallies in downtown Seoul amid the spread of COVID-19, will be held today. The detention review is a procedure in which the suspect requests the court to determine whether their detention is justified.

According to the court on the 15th, the Criminal Appeals Division 1-1 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judges Kim Jaeyoung, Song Hyeyoung, Jo Jungrae) will hold the detention review hearing requested by Chairman Yang on the 13th at 2:30 p.m. today.

Earlier, Chairman Yang was booked on charges of leading several illegal protests from May to July this year (violations of the Assembly and Demonstration Act, Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, and general traffic obstruction). In particular, approximately 8,000 people were reported to have attended the National Workers' Rally held in downtown Seoul on July 3, according to the organizers' estimates. The police secured his custody on the 2nd, 20 days after the court issued an arrest warrant, and on the 6th, he was transferred to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office under detention.

Meanwhile, the KCTU is preparing for a large-scale general strike scheduled for the 20th of next month, aiming for the participation of 1.1 million union members. Chairman Yang also said, "Please prepare diligently for the October general strike," when boarding the police escort vehicle.

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