Man in His 40s Indicted and Detained for 'Bodily Injury Resulting in Death' After Fatally Striking Cargo Solidarity Union Member with Truck

Four Union Members Also to Stand Trial for Interference with Official Duties

A man in his 40s who drove a cargo truck and fatally struck a union member at the Cargo Solidarity rally site of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Public Transport Union has been indicted on charges of inflicting bodily injury resulting in death.

The Criminal Division 1 of the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office in Gyeongnam (headed by Chief Prosecutor Kim Sunghoon) announced on May 7 that Mr. A, a non-union member in his 40s, had been arrested and indicted on charges including inflicting bodily injury resulting in death.

According to the prosecution, Mr. A is accused of driving a cargo truck into union members at the Cargo Solidarity rally site in front of the CU Jinju Logistics Center (BGF Logistics Jinju Center) in Jeongchon-myeon, Jinju-si, on April 20, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to two others.

A memorial altar for the deceased union member set up at the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union Cargo Solidarity rally site in front of the CU Jinju Logistics Center, Jeongchon-myeon, Jinju, Gyeongnam. [Photo by Cargo Solidarity]

The police initially arrested Mr. A on suspicion of aggravated assault, and after investigation, determined that there was conditional intent on his part and forwarded the case to the prosecution with an added charge of murder.

However, after a supplementary investigation, the prosecution concluded that it was difficult to determine that Mr. A had a motive to kill and changed the charge to inflicting bodily injury resulting in death.

In particular, the prosecution found it difficult to conclude that there was conditional intent to commit murder, given that Mr. A's view was partially blocked by union members holding onto the cargo truck, and that he stopped the vehicle immediately after the incident.

Additionally, the charge of aggravated assault was applied to only one of the two people injured by the truck, as the prosecution judged that the causal relationship between Mr. A’s driving and the injuries of the other victim was unclear, and thus applied the charge of aggravated assault only to the first case.

Meanwhile, the prosecution also indicted Mr. B, a union member in his 60s, and Mr. C, a union member in his 50s, who were arrested during the rally on charges including interference with the performance of official duties, while two other union members were indicted without detention.

Mr. B is accused of driving a van into a police barricade during the rally in front of the CU Jinju Logistics Center on the 20th, then charging toward the main entrance of the center and injuring three police officers while resisting arrest.

Mr. C is set to stand trial for allegedly threatening to harm himself with a weapon and threatening unspecified individuals, including the police, at the same rally site on April 19.

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