Public Transport Workers' Union: "The Background of the Taxi Driver's Self-Immolation Is the Company's Illegal Actions"

Four Union Members Arrested for Refusing to Leave Premises

The Public Transport Workers' Union criticized that the background behind the self-immolation attempt by the head of the H Transport branch of the Taxi Division, who had been conducting a one-person protest over wage arrears, was due to illegal actions by the management.

At 12:00 PM on the 27th, the Public Transport Workers' Union Taxi Division held a press conference in front of H Transport in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, stating, "Branch head Bang of H Transport made a reasonable demand to receive proper wages according to the law," and added, "Branch head Bang requested a labor contract applying the full monthly wage system as stipulated by law, but the management refused and only paid a monthly wage far below the minimum wage of 1 million won."

Additionally, the Public Transport Workers' Union Taxi Division said, "The illegal acts committed by H Transport against Branch head Bang do not end there," and explained, "In 2020, Bang was subject to targeted dismissal as a former member of the democratic union for refusing to accept a disadvantageous change in the labor contract." They continued, "After three years of struggle, he was reinstated last November by the Supreme Court's ruling on unfair dismissal, but the management repeatedly retaliated and harassed him by enforcing minimum dispatch, paying wages below the minimum wage, excluding him from vehicle duty altogether, and withholding his entire salary."

They further stated, "The Seoul Metropolitan Government, which turns a blind eye to H Transport's illegal behavior, and the Ministry of Employment and Labor, which does not punish employers who fail to pay even the minimum wage, are accomplices in this situation," and demanded, "The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Employment and Labor must immediately conduct a full investigation of corporate taxi businesses in the Seoul area and punish taxi operators who fail to pay legally mandated wages."

Shortly after the press conference, around 12:30 PM, the union visited the company office to meet with the CEO of H Transport, but company officials asked them to leave. The Yangcheon Police Station in Seoul arrested four union members, including unionists from the Public Transport Workers' Union, around 1:00 PM on charges of refusing to leave upon request (resisting eviction). A police official stated, "The four arrested are currently awaiting investigation."

Branch head Bang had been conducting a one-person protest in front of H Transport for 227 days and attempted self-immolation at approximately 8:26 AM the previous day. Bang was transported to the hospital and is reported to have suffered burns on about 70% of his body and is currently receiving treatment in the intensive care unit.

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