HiteJinro to file lawsuit against some truckers still on strike
![Trucks that make deliveries for convenience stores such as GS25 and Emart24 enter the HiteJinro factory in Icheon, Gyeonggi, on June 12, to get soju, as the truckers originally contracted to make the deliveries went on strike and refused to make shipments. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2022/06/21/666c84be-998a-4469-9c85-0d0706d4211c.jpg)
Trucks that make deliveries for convenience stores such as GS25 and Emart24 enter the HiteJinro factory in Icheon, Gyeonggi, on June 12, to get soju, as the truckers originally contracted to make the deliveries went on strike and refused to make shipments. [NEWS1]
HiteJinro announced Tuesday it filed a lawsuit against truckers who committed illegal actions amid the ongoing strike.
The alcohol maker said it filed a lawsuit on June 17, suing some of the truck drivers still participating in a strike at its factories.
Unionized truck drivers under the Cargo Truckers Society went on a nationwide strike on June 7 but ended it on June 14 after reaching an agreement with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The ministry promised it would help extend a series of support measures and bring it up to be discussed at the National Assembly.
A week later, despite the agreement, truckers assigned to HiteJinro’s factories in Icheon, Gyeonggi, and Cheongju, North Chungcheong, are still continuing their strike.
Some 130 truckers, contracted by Suyang Logistics to work at the two HiteJinro factories, are still on strike and refuse to deliver soju. The drivers are requesting their freight charges increase by 30 percent.
Around 10 truckers that committed illegal actions while on strike are being sued for damages worth billions of won, though a specific number was not disclosed. HiteJinro is considering violence, preventing truckers not on strike from making deliveries and illegal parking as illegal activity.
Starting with the recent lawsuit, the company said it may continue to file more lawsuits for further damages incurred.
HiteJinro says it was only able to ship out 59 percent of its normal amount of soju during the one-week strike. Production at its Icheon factory had to be stopped on June 2 due to a lack of space to stock the soju that wasn't being shipped out.
The alcohol maker signed contracts with other logistics contractors, allowing it to ship out 80 percent of normal levels as of Monday.
BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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