Obstruction of Construction, Extortion of Money, Coercion in Hiring and Equipment Use, etc.

The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency announced on the 23rd that it arrested and referred 220 people to prosecution, including 15 who were detained, during a special crackdown lasting 250 days to eradicate violent acts at construction sites.

According to the provincial police agency, the "Special Crackdown on Extortion, Violence, and Organized Illegal Activities at Construction Sites" was conducted from December last year to August this year.

The individuals handed over to the prosecution were charged with ▲obstruction of business such as blocking access to construction sites and refusal to work, 94 people ▲extortion of money under various names such as full-time union fees and monthly fees, 90 people ▲coercion to hire affiliated union members and use equipment, 34 people ▲and other charges, 2 people.

Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency.
Photo by Lee Seryeong

Among them were 25 people including the regional head of Labor Union A, its executive members, and general union members who forced union member hiring, extorted money under the name of welfare funds, and obstructed construction at eight apartment construction sites in Changwon, Jinju, Geoje, and other locations.

Also arrested were 10 people including the regional head and executives of Labor Union B, who embezzled about 190 million won under the name of union full-time fees at 22 construction sites in Busan, Ulsan, and the Gyeongnam area.

Five people were also caught for threatening subcontractors at a construction site in Haman, where construction stopped due to financial difficulties of the prime contractor, and taking 150 million won under the pretext of wage loss compensation.

One person who extorted 32.6 million won from six construction companies by threatening with lawsuits, complaints, and the start of rallies after rejecting wage collective bargaining, five executives including the branch chief of Labor Union C who extorted 60 million won under the name of operating expenses, and three people including the chairman and branch chief of Labor Union D who took 41.2 million won over nine occasions were also arrested.

The provincial police agency plans to establish a permanent crackdown system on organized illegal activities such as extortion and violence and continue strong enforcement.

Investigations will be conducted regardless of the period, cooperation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s Construction Site Violence Response Center will be strengthened, and the police agency will also operate its own reporting window.

Chief Kim Byung-su said, “We will firmly and strictly investigate illegal acts that take unfair advantage by exerting undue pressure based on the status of unions or organizations,” and added, “We will establish laws and principles so that fairness, common sense, and justice take root at construction sites.”

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