Han Sang
Gyun was arrested in late December 2015 following large working class
demonstrations
in the weeks before. These demonstrations were in opposition to the
Korean
government’s new Labour Laws.
These laws
are designed to weaken the power of unions and decrease job security for workers.
Han
SangGyun was not the only one arrested.
More than
500 KCTU members have been summoned by police for their participation in these
rallies. Thirteen have so far been convicted and sentenced to between eight to 18 months
in prison. Other high profile arrests include Bae Taesun, KCTU Executive
director of organization department, and Cho Sungdeok, Korean Public Service
and Transport Workers’ Union (KPTU) Vice President.
