Pro-Union Public Officer Disciplined

A prosecution staff member was sent to the disciplinary committee for having posted an article on a domestic web board pushing for organizing a labor union of public prosecution officers.

The Daegu district public prosecutor’s office made it public on June 2 that it disqualified seventh echelon prosecution public officer Jang and sent him to the disciplinary committee.

Officer Jang posted several articles on a domestic web board of the prosecution office since May 15 in which he said, “Let’s organize a labor union or a public officer’s association that every low-ranking public prosecution officer can join.”

A person related to the Daegu district public prosecutor’s office said, “We made a request to the Daegu High Prosecutor’s Office for disciplinary punishment against Mr. Jang but cannot unclose the reason. There’s no relationship between submitting Mr. Jang to the disciplinary committee and his attempts to form a labor union.”

Before posting articles pushing for a labor union, Jang is known to have posted articles on the domestic web board leveling harsh verbal criticisms at senior officers regarding personnel management.

Currently, the article on organizing and managing a labor union of public service officers prohibits the formation of labor unions by public service officers such as prosecution officers, police officers, and correctional officers who are responsible for inspection, investigation, detection, prosecutor affairs, and immigration control.

Jin-Kyun Kil leon@donga.com