Thrown Steel Marbles and Eggs... 12 Cargo Solidarity Union Members Under Investigation (Comprehensive)

On the morning of the 28th, the fifth day of the Cargo Solidarity general strike, cargo trucks were stopped at the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The police are investigating 12 union members on charges of obstructing logistics transportation through assault and other acts related to the general strike by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ National Public Transport Workers' Union Cargo Solidarity Headquarters (Cargo Solidarity).

The National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency (NIH) announced on the 28th at 4 p.m. that they are investigating eight cases involving 12 Cargo Solidarity union members nationwide, including in Busan and Gyeonggi. Among these cases is an incident on the 26th near Busan New Port where steel balls were thrown at a cargo vehicle in transit, shattering the front windshield. The driver was reportedly injured by glass shards in this incident.

Additionally, on the 25th at the inland container depot (ICD) in Uiwang, Gyeonggi, union member A was booked and is under investigation for verbally abusing a non-union member, throwing a water bottle, and assault. On the same day, B was booked for throwing raw eggs at a non-union member driving a container truck on a road in Changwon, Gyeongnam.

The police are conducting investigations into several other illegal acts, and for illegal acts involving vehicles, administrative measures such as suspension and revocation of driver’s licenses are being implemented alongside judicial processing. A police official stated, "We will promptly investigate those involved in illegal activities."

Earlier, Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, said at a joint briefing during the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the Cargo Solidarity collective transport refusal that "We will respond with a zero-tolerance policy to any illegal acts" and "We will firmly establish the principle that illegal acts using collective forces in our society will never be tolerated."