The Cargo Truckers Solidarity Division (CTSD) of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held an emergency press conference to criticize BGF Retail and police following the death of a union member who was struck while blocking a truck driven by a non-union worker in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province.
At 11 a.m. on the 21st, the CTSD held a press conference in front of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, stating, "This incident is an act of murder by BGF capital and public authority." The union added, "We will not sit idly by as BGF and the police refuse dialogue and carry out union suppression." They continued, "We will fight to the end to protect the rights of cargo workers and create a safe workplace, as the deceased member had wished," adding, "Thoroughly investigate the police as a whole regarding the incident, and strictly investigate and punish the company's on-site supervisor."
After the press conference, about 40 union members attempted to enter the agency building demanding a meeting with the Gyeongnam Police Agency chief, but were blocked by police. They confronted police until 12:30 p.m., chanting slogans calling for the deceased member to be brought back to life. The KCTU cargo union plans to hold a rally at 5 p.m. the same day in front of the CU Jinju Logistics Center in Jeongchon-myeon, Jinju, where the accident occurred. Approximately 1,200 people are expected to attend the rally.
Regarding the incident, the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency's regional investigation unit is reviewing an application for an arrest warrant for A, a non-union man in his 40s, who was arrested on charges of aggravated assault for striking KCTU cargo union members with a truck. Police emergency-arrested A on aggravated assault charges after the incident and are investigating whether the act was intentional.
Earlier, at around 10:32 a.m. on the 20th, near the rally site in front of the CU Jinju Logistics Center, non-union worker A was driving a 2.5-ton truck out of the facility when he was blocked by three CTSD union members and rammed into them. One union member in his 50s was transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest but ultimately died. Two other union members sustained serious and minor injuries, respectively.
