GGM Files Complaint Against 25 Union Members for Obstruction of Business and Other Charges

Union to File Counter-Complaint Next Month
Labor-Management Conflict Intensifies

Exterior view of Gwangju Global Motors.

Gwangju Global Motors (GGM) has taken legal action against union members affiliated with the Gwangju-Jeonnam branch of the Korean Metal Workers' Union. On the morning of August 28, the company announced that it had filed a complaint with Hampyeong Police Station against 25 union members.

The charges include three counts: obstruction of business, property damage, and trespassing. GGM claimed that during a protest inside the factory on August 22, the entrance doors were damaged, and, in particular, three union executives and 22 members impeded the company's normal work operations.

The conflict originated from a dispute over the early repayment of loans. The company stated that it faced pressure from creditor banks to repay loans early due to the union strike. However, the bank in question denied this claim.

The union countered by holding a rally at the Gwangju plant, arguing that the company had spread false information to suppress union activities. During the protest, physical clashes broke out between the two sides, resulting in injuries to some employees and union members.

The GGM plant is located on the border between Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, and Wolya-myeon, Hampyeong County, and the complaint was filed with Hampyeong Police Station.

Meanwhile, the union also announced plans to submit a counter-complaint against the company next month, claiming that the company's actions to disrupt the protest were illegal.