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(LEAD) Police raid civil servant union office
SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Police raided a Seoul office of South Korea's civil servant union on Tuesday amid controversy over the legitimacy of the union's political activity.
"More than 40 investigators were sent to ransack the Yeongdeungpo office of the union Tuesday morning," a police source said.
Police are looking into allegations that the union was engaged in illegal activities including the distribution of leaflets calling for civil servants to join a street protest organized by the country's main umbrella union.
The investigation is a setback for the public workers' union, which seeks to enhance its status and authority.
The integrated civil employees union of three separate unions, tentatively called the Korean Government Employees' Union (KGEU), was to officially launch and to register its establishment with the Labor Ministry later on Tuesday.
The merger, as well as a decision by the KGEU in September to join a militant labor group, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, has escalated tension with the Lee Myung-bak administration.
Refusing to acknowledge the KGEU as a legal labor union, the labor and public administration ministries have repeatedly warned the unionized civil workers not to engage in any political or anti-government activities, arguing that doing so would violate their obligation to stay politically neutral.
"We are looking into allegations that union members engaged in anti-government rallies ahead of its official launch. If any of their illegal activities are proven, we will take legal action," a police officer said.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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