Unionized civil servants face probe over political donations

SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- Police said Monday they have opened a probe into the
alleged political activities of hundreds of members of the Korea Teachers and
Education Worker's Union (KTU) and the Korean Government Employees' Union (KGEU).
The union members are suspected of illegally participating in activities of the
minor progressive Democratic Labor Party (DLP) in breach of the law compelling
civil servants to remain politically neutral, police said.
According to officials at Seoul's Yeongdeungpo Police Station, a total of 290
ranking members of the KTU and KGEU are now under probe on suspicion of having
formally joined the DLP or paid monthly membership fees to the opposition party.
In the initial move, a summons has been sent to 69 of the 290 unionized public
workers, said the officials.
Under the current law, civil servants and teachers are banned from joining or
donating directly to a political party. Only indirect political contributions via
the Election Management Commission are permitted.
The government has repeatedly warned the unionized public workers not to engage
in any political or anti-government activities, arguing that doing so would
violate their obligation to stay politically neutral.
"Police, while investigating some anti-government activities by unionized public
workers, have secured evidence that hundreds of KTU and KGEU members contributed
between 10,000 won to several hundred thousand won every month to the Democratic
Labor Party in violation of the current law," said a police officer.
But the DLP denied having received any financial contribution from members of the
KTU or KGEU.
"The DLP has not accepted any party membership or donations from KTU or KGEU
members," party spokesperson Woo Wee-young said.
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