"Strict Legal Action on Threatening Texts and Coercion to Terminate Carrier Transport Contracts"
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] A regional executive of the Cargo Solidarity who sent threatening messages to transportation company officials during the Cargo Solidarity strike has been arrested.
The Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency announced on the 30th that they arrested a regional executive of the Cargo Solidarity, Mr. A, on the 29th for sending retaliatory messages while coercing cargo owners to cancel transportation contracts.
Mr. A is suspected of sending retaliatory messages such as "We will definitely punish you" and "We will kill you after the martial law ends" to transportation company officials on November 30 and December 1, when the Cargo Solidarity began their collective transportation refusal strike.
He has also been under police investigation for obstructing business by following cargo trucks with two vehicles belonging to the Cargo Solidarity and blocking the front and rear of the trucks in operation.
According to the police, besides the retaliatory messages and business obstruction, Mr. A, along with other Cargo Solidarity executives, called in representatives of two cargo owner companies and three transportation companies who did not participate in the strike during the collective transportation refusals in November 2021 and June 2022, to the Cargo Solidarity office, where they were verbally abused or threatened.
Mr. A is also accused of forcibly canceling transportation contracts between cargo owners and transportation companies and unilaterally drafting contracts by arbitrarily setting logistics fees.
The Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency is investigating nine people, including Mr. A and other Cargo Solidarity executives.
A Gyeongbuk Police official stated, "Regarding illegal violent acts such as the Cargo Solidarity retaliatory crimes, we will thoroughly investigate not only the perpetrators but also the ringleaders and those behind the scenes and strictly prosecute them."
Following the investigation into the illegal acts of the Cargo Solidarity, the Gyeongbuk Police have been conducting a special crackdown for 200 days since December 8 on organized illegal activities such as extortion and violence at construction sites.
The police reported that they are conducting intensive investigations into ringleaders and those behind the scenes regarding chronic illegal acts such as organized extortion and violence at construction sites, forced hiring by specific groups, and coercion to use construction machinery.
They also stated, "We will thoroughly track and strictly prosecute retaliatory crimes such as threats against whistleblowers, and we will implement thorough safety measures for crime victims so that they can report without fear, aiming to protect them from retaliatory crimes."
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