Umbrella union under siege

Yang Kyung-soo, chief of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, is taken by police officers from the union's headquarters in Seoul, Thursday, as an arrest warrant has been issued for him for leading mass rallies in violation of the government's regulations aimed at curbing COVID-19 infections. Yonhap

KCTU facing leadership vacuum and public criticism

By Jun Ji-hye

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) is losing momentum in its struggle against the government, following the arrest of its leader in addition to negative public sentiment against its continued push for large-scale rallies amid persistent concerns over COVID-19 infections.

On Thursday morning, police arrested Yang Kyung-soo, the chief of the labor umbrella organization, at its office in Seoul for leading mass rallies between May and July, in violation of the government's antivirus social distancing rules amid the ongoing wave of COVID-19 infections here.

A court issued an arrest warrant for Yang, Aug. 13, on charges of violating the Assembly and Demonstration Act and the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act.

The latest mass rally was held in central Seoul on July 3, with about 8,000 participants demanding a revision to the labor act, despite repeated requests from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, police and health authorities for it to be canceled amid concerns over possible infections.

Members of the KCTU called Yang's arrest a "declaration of war" against the union by the Moon Jae-in government.

"Yang's arrest will only result in stirring up the anger of workers," the KCTU said in its statement. "The government should remember the fact that no previous administrations could produce good results after facing the anger of workers."

The organization vowed to continue with its plans for a general strike on Oct. 20, in which it hopes all of its 1.1 million members will participate to demand improvements to workers' rights.

But questions are being raised over whether the organization could prepare for the strike properly amid a leadership vacuum.

Growing criticism among the public against the organization is also expected to be a major setback for its movements.

"The KCTU has criticized the government, claiming that it has excessively restricted freedom of assembly under the pretense of antivirus measures. But few members of the public have supported such a claim while the country has been fighting against the fourth wave of infections," one internet user wrote on Naver's news section.

Some officials in the labor sector noted that a considerable number of workers have actually called for resolving disputes with the government through negotiations, but the KCTU leadership has continued its struggle.

Members of a union for Hyundai Steel subcontracted workers, which is associated with the Korean Metal Workers Union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, hold a rally at the company's steel mill in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, Tuesday, demanding the company employ them directly. Yonhap

Public sentiment toward the KCTU has been getting worse not only because its mass rallies, but also because of the recent death of the head of a CJ Logistics courier agency, who killed himself in the wake of conflicts with members of a union of delivery workers associated with the KCTU.

An official from the Cooperative Association of CJ Logistics Courier Agencies said, "The man experienced conflicts with some employees who led delivery disruptions after joining the union, and killed himself in the end."

In addition, a union of subcontracted workers of Hyundai Steel, associated with the Korean Metal Workers Union under the KCTU, has occupied the control center of the company's Dangjin Steel Mill for about 10 days, demanding that the firm employ them directly, raising concerns about production disruptions.

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