[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Union officials who extorted money by threatening construction companies while visiting construction sites in the Seoul metropolitan area have been brought to trial.
The Public Investigation Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Jun-beom) announced on the 9th that they have arrested and indicted Lim Mo (51), chairman of the National Federation of Construction Site Unions, and Hwang Mo (38), branch chief, on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (joint extortion).
They are accused of threatening to disrupt construction work at 33 construction sites in Seoul and Gyeonggi regions from January 2021 to August last year, extorting a total of 316 million KRW under the pretext of collective agreement fees. They held rallies using vehicles equipped with loudspeakers in front of construction sites or threatened to file complaints with government offices by filming inadequate safety measures. Through this, they forced the hiring of union members and pressured construction companies to sign collective agreements, thereby receiving collective agreement fees.
This union is an independent union unrelated to the Federation of Korean Trade Unions or the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, and it was found that all union officials exerted organized power to pressure construction company officials. In particular, Hwang, who served as the branch chief of Gangbuk, Jungseobu in Seoul and Northern Gyeonggi, was previously active in the violent organization Yeonsinnae Sikgu-pa, and the prosecutors stated that many other union officials also had violent criminal records.
The extorted money was distributed to union officials under the pretexts of salaries and entertainment expenses. Chairman Lim was investigated to have embezzled about 18 million KRW monthly under the pretexts of activity expenses and corporate card usage.
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