Police Complete Search of Two Major Labor Unions... Seize 17,000 Pieces of Evidence

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] The police have completed the search and seizure of the offices of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU). The evidence secured will be used in the investigation of illegal activities by the unions at construction sites.

On the 19th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Violent Crime Investigation Unit announced that it finished the search and seizure of the KCTU and FKTU offices around 4:10 p.m. after approximately 9 hours. The targets of the search included the KCTU Seoul-Gyeonggi Northern Branch and the Southwest, Northwest, Southeast, and Northeast regional offices; for the FKTU, the Seoul-Gyeonggi 1st and 2nd branches, the Rebar Business Unit Seoul-Gyeonggi branch, and other metropolitan area offices; as well as the Construction Solidarity Seogyeongin Headquarters, Industrial Workers' Union Seogyeongin Headquarters, National Union Field Headquarters, and the National Construction Union Federation Central Headquarters, totaling 14 locations.

On the morning of the 19th, police entered the office of the Seoul-Gyeonggi Northern Branch of the Construction Union of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The police stated that through this search and seizure, they secured about 17,000 pieces of evidence, including 22 mobile phones. The evidence is expected to be used in the investigation of illegal activities by the unions at construction sites. Members of the two major unions are reported to have committed illegal acts such as forcing the hiring of specific individuals at construction sites, disrupting site work with noise, and accepting money in exchange for promised employment. The police are reportedly considering charges of joint coercion and joint extortion under the Act on the Punishment of Violent Crimes against these individuals.

The labor community protested the police investigation. The KCTU Construction Union held a press conference around 11 a.m. in front of the Seoul-Gyeonggi Northern Branch office in Yangpyeong-dong, Seoul, stating, "The government is siding with construction capital and branding legitimate union activities guaranteed by the Constitution as illegal," and declared, "We will respond by resolving to hold a general strike of 100,000 workers this year."

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