Sejong Hotel Union Branch Chief Ko Jinsoo Arrested Over ‘Dismissed Teacher Reinstatement’ Protest

by Park Hosu

Published 17 Apr.2026 17:57(KST)

Arrest Warrant Issued Due to "Flight Risk"

Ko Jinsoo, head of the Sejong Hotel Branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, was arrested after joining a protest at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education building demanding the reinstatement of dismissed teacher Ji Hyebok.

On the 17th, Go Jinsoo, head of the Sejong Hotel Branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, who led a protest for the reinstatement of teacher Ji Hyebok, who was dismissed after raising the issue of sexual violence in school, appeared at the pre-trial detention hearing at the Seoul Western District Court in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 17th, Yang Eunsang, senior judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Western District Court, conducted a pre-trial detention hearing for Ko, Baek Jongseong, and Lee Sangseon, who are all charged with violating the Act on the Punishment of Violent Acts (joint trespassing), among other charges. After the hearing, the judge issued an arrest warrant only for Ko, citing "concern over flight risk."

In contrast, the arrest warrants for Baek and Lee, who face the same charges as Ko, were dismissed on the grounds that "they have fixed residences and there is little concern about destruction of evidence or fleeing."

Ko and the others are accused of blocking access to the building while supporting Ji, who was staging a high-altitude protest on the rooftop of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, in the early morning of April 15. At the time, police arrested 12 protest participants, of whom 9 were released, while arrest warrants were requested for Ko and two others.

Meanwhile, in September 2024, Ji was transferred from her position as counseling department head at a middle school in Seoul after raising allegations of sexual violence within the school. She was subsequently dismissed after protesting and demanding the withdrawal of the personnel action. Although the Seoul Administrative Court later ruled that the transfer was unfair, reinstatement has not yet occurred.

The joint countermeasures committee, which includes Ji and others, held a press conference in front of the court on the same day, urging for her reinstatement.