KOREA: Media union leader arrested

A police officer says head of National Union of Media Workers was arrested under suspicion of disturbing MBC business, organizing an illegal nighttime rally and forcibly entering the National Assembly building

The Korea Times
Monday, July 27, 2009

By Kim Rahn

The head of a media union was detained for leading what police called an illegal strike against disputed media-related bills.

Media groups and opposition parties denounced the move, saying it was an abuse of police power, while police said the walkout was illegal and he refused multiple summonses.

Choi Sang-jae, head of the National Union of Media Workers, was taken from his home in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, around 7:30 a.m. Monday, by three police officers.

Choi, wearing a sweatshirt and without socks, asked to be allowed to change, but police refused the request.

"I knew an arrest warrant was issued. So I told the officers that I did not mean to flee. But they took me after handcuffing me in front of my wife and 12-year-old daughter," he was quoted as saying by opposition Democratic Party (DP) lawmakers who visited him at Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul.

Police said Choi is suspected of violating the law on assembly and demonstration.

The union staged a four-day walkout last week to protest the media bills, which it claims will allow chaebol and conservative newspapers to control public opinion.

Some union members including Choi entered the National Assembly building on Wednesday to attempt to block the governing Grand National Party (GNP) from railroading the bills, in vain.

"He is suspected of having disturbed the business of MBC by holding a rally in front of the broadcaster's building; organized an illegal, nighttime rally; and forcibly entered the Assembly building," a police officer said.

As to the allegations about MBC and the Assembly, the two organizations have not even filed complaints against him, the union said.

The union said that police demanded Choi present himself for questioning twice since the strike began, and that he requested the summonses to be delayed. "I told police that I would accept the call if they delayed it. But they forcibly apprehended me, and this is political suppression of the struggle against the media bills," Choi was quoted as saying.

Choi said he would stage a hunger strike in protest.

The police officer said, "We understood that Choi requested the delay because he did not intend to follow the summons. So we had the warrant issued and exercised it."

Rep. Choo Mi-ae of the DP said apprehending the media union leader shows that the government plans to gag the media. "President Lee Myung-bak should exercise his veto over the media law," she said.

Date Posted: 7/27/2009