Korean Construction Association and Others Establish Illegal Activities Reporting Center for Construction Unions

Online and Offline Combined
Immediate Transfer to Ministry of Land and Site Investigation Conducted Upon Report

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] Construction-related organizations have opened and started operating the 'Construction Union Illegal Activity Reporting Center.'

The Korea Construction Association, Korea Specialty Construction Association, and Korea Housing Association announced on the 25th that the center has been open and accepting reports since the 20th.

The reporting center is operated by each association's headquarters and regional city/provincial offices, accepting both anonymous online reports and offline reports through visits to the associations. Each center will have dedicated personnel assigned, providing support for report reception consultations and on-site investigations in collaboration with relevant government agencies by region. Upon request, expert consultation services such as lawyers and labor consultants will also be available to reporters.

The targets for reporting include forced hiring of construction union members, forced use of union-affiliated equipment, unfair demands for money or goods, obstruction of construction work, and damages to site managers and non-union workers caused by union threats, verbal abuse, or physical assault.

Cases received by the center will be immediately transferred to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and depending on the issue, joint public-private investigations at construction sites will be conducted with local offices under the Ministry, local police agencies, and local offices of the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

An association official stated, "The Union Illegal Activity Reporting Center was also operated in 2019, but its effectiveness was somewhat limited due to concerns about retaliation when reporting," adding, "However, currently, the government’s will to eradicate illegal activities by construction unions is strong, and the associations are also strengthening the center’s operations and working on system improvements, so we expect the newly launched reporting center to play a significant role in eradicating union illegal activities."