Gangbuk-gu Issues Press Release on 25th: Gangbuk-gu Urban Management Corporation Union Members Who Entered Office Building a Month Ago; On 23rd, Mayor Lee Pushed and Fell, Suffering Ankle and Back Injuries, Hospitalized
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seoul Gangbuk-gu (District Mayor Lee Soon-hee) announced on the 25th that members of the Urban Management Corporation labor union assaulted Mayor Lee Soon-hee on the 23rd, resulting in her hospitalization.
The district reported through a press release that the Urban Management Corporation union members had been illegally occupying the district office building and conducting day-and-night sit-ins since the end of last month, and on the 23rd, Mayor Lee Soon-hee was assaulted by them, leading to her hospitalization.
Currently, about 80 members of the Gangbuk-gu Urban Management Corporation labor union have been unlawfully occupying the third-floor corridor in front of the mayor’s office and the first-floor civil service office since November 29, ignoring five eviction orders from the district office and continuing their illegal protest.
According to district officials, during this time, inside the district office, the union members have used microphones and loud amplifiers, posted unauthorized notices and protest ribbons, eaten food and slept overnight in the civil service office, brought in hazardous materials (high-pressure gas cylinders), verbally abused and threatened district office employees with violence, causing anxiety and inconvenience to visitors and making it difficult for district officials to perform their normal duties.
On the 23rd, starting from 9 a.m., they installed amplifiers in front of the mayor’s office, causing loud noise, pushed over the head of the Administrative Support Division chief who was delivering the fifth eviction demand letter, occupied the entire corridor in front of the mayor’s office, and attempted to detain the mayor.
Around 10:50 a.m., as Mayor Lee Soon-hee was leaving her office to attend an event, she was pushed and fell by the union members, sustaining injuries to her ankle and waist, and was hospitalized.
It was also reported that several accompanying staff members were injured during the incident and received hospital treatment together.
Gangbuk-gu stated that it will strictly hold those responsible legally accountable.
The Gangbuk-gu Urban Management Corporation Labor Union halted negotiations with the Gangbuk-gu Urban Management Corporation (Chairman Shin Seung-dong), the party involved in wage agreements, after only two sessions and immediately demanded the mayor’s intervention, illegally occupying the district office building for about a month.
Mayor Lee Soon-hee expressed regret over the incident but said, “I hope a prompt and smooth agreement will be reached between the Gangbuk-gu Urban Management Corporation and the union,” and pledged to do her best to ensure that residents do not experience inconvenience in using the district office and corporation facilities.
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