Police seize more servers in civil servant 'political activity' probe

(ATTN: UPDATES with DLP's plan for sit-in rally, party's statement at bottom)
SEOUL, Feb. 7 (Yonhap) -- Police on Sunday seized more servers belonging to a
minor opposition party as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged
"political activity" by civil servants and teachers.
South Korean law bars public worker and teacher unions from taking part in
collective political activity, but the legitimacy of the investigation has been
controversial.
After 30 minutes of scuffling with dozens of lawmakers and officials from the
Democratic Labor Party (DLP) who resisted the seizure, officers with warrants
secured the remaining nine computer servers of the party at the KT Internet
center in Bundang, south of Seoul, police said. The first of the 10 servers was
seized in a search conducted last Thursday.
Four party officials were taken to a nearby police station following the clash.
Police said the officials are on a hunger strike, refusing to cooperate.
Police investigators said they are now checking the servers for evidence that
union members paid membership fees to the DLP between 2006 and 2009 and if they
took part in the DLP's online poll of party members.
The investigation began late last month when police claimed some members of the
Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union (KTU) and the Korean Government
Employees' Union (KGEU) had participated in the poll for picking regional
chapters, lawmakers and leading party officials for the progressive party.
KTU and KGEU members whose names are found could face criminal charges and
dismissal.
Separate from the server investigation, police claimed that they have determined
that of the 293 teachers and civil servants being probed, 120 had joined the DLP.

Police summoned 32 teachers and 15 civil servants on Friday to determine the
extent of their involvement in the political party.
The probe comes amid repeated government warnings to unionized public workers not
to engage in political or anti-government activities, arguing that doing so would
violate their obligation to stay politically neutral.
The DLP said it plans to begin an indefinite sit-in protest rally on Monday.
"The public security authorities must stop destroying a political party," the
party said in a statement.
sshim@yna.co.kr
(END)