After Beating South Korean Police and Breaking Their Teeth, 10 KCTU Labor Union Members are Freed Again

2019-5-23, Munhwa Ilbo

• Law enforcement beaten up
• Metal Union yesterday held a rally in Jongno District, Seoul
• Grabbed police by the collar,  knocked them down
• 10 police officers injured, including wrist ligament injuries
• Police immediately freed 10 of 12 violent KCTU members
• A continuation of the labor union violence of last month at the National Assembly
• A controversy over “law enforcement afraid of the labor union”

Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) members assaulted the police during demonstrations, breaking the police officers’ teeth and causing wrist injuries.  The police immediately released 10 of 12 violent KCTU labor union members, who were arrested on the spot. Last month, the KCTU members attempted to enter the National Assembly and even broke the police line, and the police took some of them to the police station, but released them right away.  The public called the move a “condone investigation” and criticized that there is no willingness to defend government authority.

[truncated] The labor union members were found to have injured 10 police officers during the protests held on the afternoon of May 22, 2019.  Among them, three regular police officers and two conscript police officers needed hospital treatment for teeth fractures, loose teeth, and wrist ligament injuries. The remaining police also suffered abrasions and other injuries.

On the previous day [May 22, 2019], about 1,000 (estimated by the organizers) members of the Hyundai Heavy Industries Union and the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Workers Union, both under the Korean Metal Workers’ Union [which is under the KCTU] held a rally regarding the Hyundai Heavy Industries’ acquisition of and merger with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.

In the process [of the demonstration], some union members attempted to enter the office of Hyundai Heavy Industries. The union members crossed the Police Line and dragged the police officers at the entrance of the building, grabbed them by their collars, and knocked them to the ground. Some union members also took away the shields of police officers. [truncated]

Source:  http://www.munhwa.com/news/view.html?no=2019052301071221340001