hankyoreh

July 20. They were attempting to block Hope Bus protestors from entering the factory grounds. After the clash

By Heo Jae-hyun and Im In-taek, staff reporters

Police in Ulsan have announced that they will also investigate the alleged violence of security guards hired by Hyundai Motor, in addition to thoroughly investigating allegations of illegal actions by Hope Bus protestors.

“Illegal acts of violence committed by people working for Hyundai Motor are also a subject of investigation,” said Kim Seong-hoon, chief investigator for the Ulsan Police Agency on July 23. “We will conduct a fair investigation not only of the illegal protesters, which were the focus early on, but also of the illegal actions committed by people working for Hyundai Motor.”

The police have set up a joint investigation office to investigate the violence that occurred between Hyundai Motor and the Hope Bus protesters. Kim is head of the office, which is mostly composed of staff from the Ulsan Police Agency.

The joint investigation office is deciding who will be called in for questioning in connection to the violent altercation between Hyundai Motor and Hope Bus protestors based on evidence collected by the police, sources say.

“It is a serious problem that the security guards at Hyundai Motor attacked the police who were dispatched to the scene, too,” a source with the police said on condition of anonymity. “They must be punished severely.”

In addition, the joint investigation office announced that it had identified two of the Hope Bus protestors who had initiated the violence.

The police explained that two men in their 30s are suspected of having grabbed sharpened bamboo poles and microphones and urging others to “knock down the fence” and of having passed out fire extinguishers to the protestors.

The joint investigation office intends to begin rounding the suspects up once they have received warrants for their arrest.

On the afternoon of July 23, various civic groups, including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society, held a press conference where they accused Hyundai Motor of illegal violent actions. They showed photos to support the accusations.

In the photos, security personnel for Hyundai Motor appear to be attacking the protestors with switchblades, scythes, bamboo poles, and fire extinguishers.

Photos of people who had gouges in their flesh where they had been stabbed and of other wounded people whose bones were sticking out were also presented at the press conference.

The KCTU accused seven individuals of violent acts, including Hyundai Motor chairman Chung Mong-koo and security guards who had not yet been identified to the Ulsan Central Police Department. They also accused the security guards hired by Hyundai Motor who had thrown fire extinguishers at the police of having interfered with public servants as they carried out their duty.

On July 22, Hyundai Motor accused 13 people, including KCTU chairman Shin Seung-chul and Hope Bus protestors, with committing acts of violence.

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