Fines Confirmed for Democratic Labor Union Officials Over Traffic Disruption at '2019 National Workers' Rally'

Yoon Taek-geun, the senior vice chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), and others who were prosecuted for obstructing traffic during a rally and interfering with police officers' official duties have had their fines finalized.

The Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Cho Jae-yeon) announced on the 23rd that it upheld the appellate court's ruling, which sentenced Senior Vice Chairman Yoon and former Vice Chairman Yoo Jae-gil to fines of 6 million won each on charges of general traffic obstruction and special obstruction of official duties.

Other officials charged with the same offenses, including former Public Officials Union Chairman Kim Joo-eop, former Public Transport Union Chairman Choi Joon-sik, and former National Teachers Union Chairman Kwon Jung-oh, also had fines ranging from 3 to 6 million won finalized.

They were prosecuted for holding the Jeon Tae-il "National Workers' Rally" on November 9, 2019, in the Yeouido area of Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, obstructing traffic and interfering with police officers' official duties who tried to stop them. They marched with about 10,000 people while occupying all lanes in both directions in front of the National Assembly main gate.

The first trial court found all charges guilty and sentenced Senior Vice Chairman Yoon and former Vice Chairman Yoo to fines of 8 million won each.

However, the appellate court, following Supreme Court precedents that do not punish traffic obstruction if the rally is held within the notified scope or does not significantly exceed it, acquitted them of general traffic obstruction charges and only found them guilty of special obstruction of official duties, sentencing them to fines of 6 million won each. The Supreme Court also agreed with the appellate court's judgment.

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