Police raid KCTU-affiliated construction union

Police investigators load materials seized from a raid on the northern Seoul headquarters of the Korean Construction Workers' Union into a vehicle on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Police on Tuesday raided the headquarters of a construction union associated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) as part of a wider investigation into alleged illegal practices by labor organizations.

Detectives from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s major crime investigation division targeted the Korean Construction Workers’ Union’s (KCWU) northern Seoul headquarters in Mapo District, as well as two residences associated with union officials, for documents and other evidence related to allegations that they forced construction companies to hire certain workers and extorted money from companies.

Police investigators plan to look into suspicions that KCWU officials colluded in, or oversaw, illegal hiring practices at construction sites.

The raids came after police on Friday requested arrest warrants for three KCWU officials on charges of committing blackmail and coercion under the Punishment of Violence Act.

The Seoul Metropolitan Agency raided 14 locations in January, including the offices of unions affiliated with the KCTU as well as the offices of another umbrella labor organization, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), as part of its broader investigation into alleged illegal activities by trade union officials.

The KCTU was also raided by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and National Police Agency in January, following allegations that its officials violated the National Security Act by meeting with North Korean agents in various overseas locations, such as Cambodia, Vietnam and China, to organize anti-state activities.

Passed in 1948, the National Security Act bans behavior or speech that expresses support for the North Korean regime or communism or advocates the overthrow of the South Korean government.

Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, who was elected leader of the conservative People Power Party last week, called the KCTU a “spy union” and said that his party “declares war against all pro-North Korean espionage rings.”

Kim also suggested that slogans chanted at KCTU demonstrations against President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration after the fatal Itaewon crowd crush in October, such as “People are dying” and “Only [Yoon’s] resignation constitutes true commemoration,” were originally suggested to top KCTU officials by North Korean agents in order to sow civil discord and destabilize South Korean society.

Regarding these allegations, PPP floor leader Joo Ho-young said he was “astonished” that “there are still domestic forces that follow North Korea’s instructions” and called on the rival Democratic Party to acknowledge the suspicions against the KCTU.

But the KCTU has denied all allegations that its leaders engaged in anti-state activities at the behest of North Korea and demanded instead that the National Security Act be scrapped.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]