Since 11 January, at least five trade union leaders have been arrested and 16 others remain under threat of arrest. Mass protests have resulted in outbreaks of violence between demonstrators and riot police. Five provincial leaders of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) – Kim Byung-soo, Oh Hyung-keun, Chu In-sang, Chu Ki-seung and Kim Joong-il – were arrested between 11 and 16 January for organizing “illegal” strike action. It is not known whether additional charges of violence against four of them have been substantiated.
