27 Union Officials Arrested for 'Forced Hiring and Equipment Use' at Construction Sites in Chungnam

Twenty-seven union officials were arrested for forcing the hiring of union members and the use of equipment at construction sites in Chungnam.

The Chungnam Provincial Police Agency announced on the 27th that seven officials from Union A and twenty officials from Union B were sent to the prosecution without detention on charges including joint coercion (forcing the hiring of union members, etc.).

According to the police, from February 2021 to November 2022, they visited five construction sites of the "Seobu Inland Expressway" and are accused of forcing the hiring of union members belonging to their unions and the use of equipment.

In particular, the arrested union officials exploited the fact that subcontracted construction companies must pay delay compensation equivalent to 1/1000 of the daily construction amount if they fail to meet the construction period contracted with the primary contractor, threatening to halt construction through rallies and protests during the coercion process.

It was also revealed that they actually stopped construction by making false reports to local governments, such as claiming that "dust is generated at the construction site."

Additionally, some union officials are accused of engaging in physical fights while demanding the hiring of their own union members at an apartment construction site in Yesan-gun in July 2021, and after being assaulted in the process, extorting a settlement of 30 million won by blaming the construction company.

A Chungnam Provincial Police Agency official stated, "We plan to conduct regular crackdowns to prevent organized illegal activities such as forced hiring, extortion, and violence occurring at construction sites," and added, "We will respond strictly to violent acts at construction sites that have been tolerated as customary practices through these crackdowns."

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