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A public transport union holds a press conference in front of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety building at the Government Complex Sejong on May 22. / Photo courtesy of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union

Labor unions have demanded that the government punish those responsible and establish measures to prevent recurrences regarding the fatal accident of a Cargo Truckers Solidarity member at the CU Jinju Logistics Center.

On May 22, the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU) held a press conference in front of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety building at the Government Complex Sejong to announce the union's demands to the government.

The union asserted that the accident was caused by the police's excessive suppression while controlling the scene, arguing that a thorough review of the police manual for responding to strike sites and measures to prevent excessive use of force are necessary. They also pointed out that the current internal investigation is being conducted by the Audit General's Office of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, and called on the National Police Agency to form a dedicated, independent investigation team to conduct the probe and bring punishments.

The union identified the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency and its chief, Kim Jong-chul, as those with direct responsibility for the accident, demanding the immediate dismissal of Chief Kim, the creation of a dedicated National Police Agency investigation team to punish those responsible, and the formulation of recurrence prevention measures by both the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Police Agency.

"Unless a proper investigation into this murderous suppression, punishment of those responsible, and prevention of recurrences are promised by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Police Agency, the violence of police public power at strike sites will continue," the union emphasized. "An era where police authority can trample upon workers' lives and safety must no longer be tolerated."

Kim Dong-guk, president of the Cargo Truckers Solidarity, stated, "To fundamentally prevent this kind of death from repeating, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Police Agency must completely overhaul the strike response manual that has trampled on the three primary labor rights and present measures to prevent excessive suppression. If they fail to promise at least minimal accountability and measures to prevent a recurrence of the Gyeongnam police's murderous violence, we will fight to the end until workers' basic rights are realized on the ground."

                                                                                                               Lee Ha-eun