Yang Kyungsoo, KCTU Chairman, Receives Finalized Fine for 'Quarantine Rule-Violating Rally'

Accused of Leading a Rally in Violation of Quarantine Rules in May 2021

Yang Kyungsoo, Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), who was indicted for leading a large-scale rally in violation of quarantine rules during the COVID-19 outbreak, has received a finalized fine.

Yang Kyungsoo, Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the legal community on January 9, the Supreme Court's Second Division (Presiding Justice Oh Kyungmi) upheld the lower court's decision to impose a fine of 4 million won on Chairman Yang, who was charged with violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, among other charges. Appeals filed by 24 current and former KCTU officials, including Vice Chairman Lee Yangsoo and Progressive Party lawmaker Jeon Jongdeok, who were also indicted and fined, were dismissed as well.

Chairman Yang and others were indicted for holding a large-scale rally in Yeouido, Seoul, on May 1, 2021, to mark the 131st International Workers' Day, in violation of quarantine rules while social distancing measures were in effect due to COVID-19. Prosecutors determined that the rally exceeded the scope that had been reported in advance to the police.

Chairman Yang and others argued that the social distancing guidelines were overly broadly delegated and claimed that the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act was unconstitutional. However, the lower courts in both the first and second trials rejected this argument, and the Supreme Court upheld their decisions.

Meanwhile, Chairman Yang was also indicted for violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act by organizing a National Workers' Rally attended by 5,000 people in the Jongno district of Seoul on July 3, 2021. In January last year, the Supreme Court finalized a sentence of one year in prison, suspended for two years, and a fine of 3 million won for this case.