Human Rights Commission "violation of physical freedom during crackdown on sit-in at Gwangyang Works"

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea ruled that the police violated the freedom of the body by exercising excessive physical force in suppressing the high-altitude protest of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions at POSCO's Gwangyang Steelworks last year.

The National Human Rights Commission explained that it recommended to the Gwangyang Police Station in South Jeolla Province to conduct job training for investigators to prevent the recurrence of excessive physical force at the rally.

In May last year, Kim Joon-young, the secretary-general of the Korea Metal Workers' Union, staged a sit-in on the watchtower to stop suppressing subcontractors, and police arrested Kim Man-jae, who was protesting after installing a safety mat.

The union filed a complaint with the NHRC, saying that police used excessive physical force, such as pressing Chairman Kim's head on the road, grabbing him by the neck, and handcuffing him in the process.

The police claimed that Chairman Kim exercised minimal physical force by interfering with the installation of the safety mat, but the NHRC did not acknowledge it.