Police Conduct Search and Seizure on Two Major Labor Unions Over 'Illegal Activities at Construction Sites'... Comprehensive Pressure on Labor Sector (Comprehensive)

Police Conduct Search and Seizure on Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and Federation of Korean Trade Unions
Illegal Activities Including Forced Recruitment

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] The police have launched an all-out crackdown on labor organizations, including conducting raids on the offices of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), to investigate illegal activities at construction sites.

On the 19th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Violent Crime Investigation Unit announced that from around 8:10 a.m., they were conducting raids on five KCTU offices and three FKTU offices. The targets of the raids include the KCTU Seoul-Gyeonggi Northern Branch and the Southwestern, Northwestern, Southeastern, and Northeastern regional offices, as well as the FKTU Seoul-Gyeonggi 1st and 2nd branches and the Rebar Business Unit Seoul-Gyeonggi branch in the metropolitan area. Additionally, investigators were dispatched to eight residences of union officials to secure evidence.

The police are reportedly investigating the KCTU and FKTU on suspicion of involvement in illegal activities related to construction sites. It is alleged that illegal acts such as coercing the hiring of specific individuals or accepting bribes in exchange for promised employment have occurred within both major labor unions.

The day before, the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) announced that a full investigation had confirmed a total of 270 cases of illegal activities at construction sites. Furthermore, Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, stated in his New Year's address on December 30 last year, "Collective illegal activities at construction sites remain a serious problem," and added, "We will no longer tolerate illegal sites stained with illegality and disorder."

The KCTU was also subjected to raids by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and police the previous day on suspicion of violating the National Security Act. During the raid on the KCTU office in Jung-gu, Seoul, a physical altercation broke out between KCTU members and the police, causing the raid to be delayed for about three hours. On the 16th, the NIS obtained a search warrant from the court related to the National Security Act violation charges against A, a director-level official at the KCTU headquarters.

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