LABOR SECTOR PROTESTS POLICE INVESTIGATION

[Anchor Lead]

Following the Police and the national intelligence service's search and seizure of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions on the 18th, the police raided the offices of construction unions as part of a probe into alleged irregularities at construction sites. They raided 14 offices at once, which practically included all construction unions including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions as well as the Federation of Korean Trade Unions. The labor circle immediately protested the move, saying the government is trying to deflect blame on labor unions, while large corruptions at construction sites are left alone.

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The Construction Workers' Union of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held an urgent press conference about the police search and seizure. Union members say the government and the construction industry are working together to oppress the labor union and create an atmosphere of fear. Meanwhile, they strongly denied the allegations of wrongdoing.

[Soundbite] Seo Il-gyeong(Legal Officer, Construction Workers’ Union) : "It’s simply a matter of unpaid wages. We don’t extort officials’ wages like some smaller unions or take fees for on-site labor officers who don’t exist."

The Federation of Korean Trade Unions also issued a statement that asserted the government is trying to deflect blame by framing the labor union as a corrupt group. The KFTU also criticized that large corruptions at construction sites are left alone while government agencies are persecuting workers as if to prove their loyalty. The labor sector's opposition is growing stronger as the National Intelligence Service and the police raided the KCTU for violating the National Security Act and investigated the national labor union for the second day.

[Soundbite] Na Sun-ja(Health and Medical Workers’ Union, KCTU) : "They’re paving the ground to isolate us from the people and then increase working hours, reduce wages, privatize public services and forge ahead with labor reform."

The labor committee of the Lawyers for a Democratic Society and other legal groups joined the protest. They claimed that the raid signals labor oppression carried out by authorities and the union's demand for more employment opportunities is a union activity carried out to resolve employment insecurity.