Prosecutors Indict Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Construction Union Executives for 'Hiring Coercion and Extortion'

Executives of the construction union under the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) who forced affiliated union members to be hired at construction sites in the Seoul metropolitan area and extorted tens of millions of won from contractors have been brought to trial.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Public Investigation Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Jun-beom) announced on the 27th that it has arrested and indicted Lee Mo (50), chairman of the FKTU Korea United Construction Union, and Shin Mo (38), head of the union's Gyeongin Western Headquarters, on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (joint extortion and joint coercion) and obstruction of business.

According to the prosecution, they are accused of forcing 19 contractors at 20 construction sites in Seoul to employ 917 workers from October 2020 to October last year. They are also charged with extorting 94.12 million won from the victim companies under the pretext of wages for workers exempted from working hours.

Investigations revealed that Lee and others exploited the characteristics of construction projects, where there is strong pressure to comply with the main contractor's construction schedule and the use of expensive heavy equipment increases rental costs the longer the project takes.

They deliberately delayed construction by blocking entrances to construction sites under the pretext of holding rallies or by raising issues such as the residency status of foreign workers, waste management, and safety and health measures, and in return, forced victim companies to hire affiliated union members or extorted money.

The prosecution judged that due to their actions, employment relationships were distorted, making it difficult for daily workers to find jobs without joining the union, and that the money extorted from victim companies was used for salaries of union executives and full-time staff, deeming the crimes to be of a serious nature.