[Reporter’s Notebook] Public Authority Must Take Decisive Action Against Violence Without Hesitation

The National Police Agency announced on the 9th the interim results of the "Special Crackdown on Organized Illegal Activities such as Extortion and Violence at Construction Sites," revealing that 2,863 people were caught and 29 were arrested during a special crackdown on illegal activities at construction sites conducted over the past three months. They added that "until now, construction companies did not report incidents, making investigations impossible, but we persuaded victims who were reluctant to report, achieving results."

However, the voices from the field tell a somewhat different story. During the special crackdown on violent acts at construction sites, a police officer stated, "Illegal activities by construction unions are not new." The police had been aware of union-related obstruction of business, threats, and extortion since the Moon Jae-in administration. Especially as COVID-19 spread and finding jobs became difficult, unions reportedly demanded union member recruitment and money through increasingly violent methods.

The response from construction sites is similar. They said the police's approach has noticeably changed recently. During the previous administration, the police seemed reluctant to crack down on illegal activities at construction sites, fearing it would be seen as union suppression. Mr. Lee, a construction company president who was harassed by unions for eight months starting in June 2021, said, "I have consistently reported incidents since the past," but "at that time, the police did not intervene, saying that even obstruction of business or threats should be resolved through dialogue between labor and management."

While the government and police stood by urging "resolve it through dialogue," union threats at construction sites became a business in themselves. When building construction began, more than 20 unions showed up at the site. Not only the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions but also unknown unions came and forced the hiring of their members. They took turns shouting through loudspeakers or threatening employees arriving at work. Some were former members of violent organizations. In this way, unions expanded their influence and extorted money.

Mr. Lee said, "Only now can I trust the state and focus solely on my work." This is not a story limited to construction sites. There are still many vulnerable people in our society who need public authority. Protecting and preventing unjust victims is the reason public authority exists. Public authority must act before violence and threats escalate.