"Silencing Citizens"... Yang Kyung-soo, Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Strongly Criticizes Police Response

Yang Kyung-soo, chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), strongly criticized the police response as unusual during the 'First General Rally for the Resignation of the Yoon Seok-yeol Administration.'

Yang Kyung-soo, Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), is speaking at a press conference held at the KCTU office in Seoul on the afternoon of the 19th. Photo by Yonhap News

At a press conference held on the afternoon of the 19th at the KCTU education center in Jung-gu, Seoul, Chairman Yang claimed regarding the situation and police response during the rally held on the 9th, "In a situation where the existence of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration is shaken, the police tried to block the square and silence the citizens."

He explained, "Both the process of preparing and conducting the rally and the investigation process were not normal," adding, "Although it was anticipated that many workers would gather at the rally from the beginning, the police did not allow sufficient space." He continued, "Despite multiple negotiations with the police regarding the rally march route, the police blocked access to the event venue at various points," and added, "As the rally was obstructed from proceeding along the planned route, conflicts arose between the police and rally participants."

Furthermore, Chairman Yang criticized, "Even after the rally, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that they would swiftly and strictly prosecute participants regarding the issuance of arrest warrants and any prior collusion among the leadership, as if they had been waiting for this," stating, "This appears to be the police unilaterally trying to create a situation according to their planned sequence of actions."

Meanwhile, the police arrested 11 participants on the spot on charges including obstruction of official duties during the KCTU's 'First General Rally for the Resignation of the Yoon Seok-yeol Administration' held on Sejong-daero in front of Sungnyemun in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 9th. According to the KCTU, 10 of them are union members and one is a citizen. The police applied for arrest warrants against four KCTU union members on charges of obstruction of official duties and violation of the Assembly and Demonstration Act, but the court dismissed the warrants, stating that "it is difficult to recognize the necessity of detention."

The Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is investigating seven KCTU executives, including Chairman Yang, on suspicion of violating the Assembly and Demonstration Act, believing that the KCTU planned the illegal rally in advance. Accordingly, Chairman Yang is scheduled to be summoned for police questioning on the 22nd. He stated, "I will appear before the police and express the KCTU's views."