Labor activists seek sanctuary at Jogye Temple
Police search cars passing through the Jogye Temple in downtown Seoul Tuesday, to find Han Sang-gyun, the leader of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, who is believed to be hiding in the Buddhist temple. / Yonhap
By Chung Ah-young
Police are facing a dilemma over detaining an organizer of Saturday’s mass anti-government rally, as he has taken shelter at the Jogye Temple in central Seoul.
The temple has long been a sanctuary for social activists on the run from police.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Han Sang-gyun, head of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), for his refusal to appear in court on previous charges related to organizing illegal rallies. Han appeared at Saturday’s gathering in central Seoul and delivered a statement. Before that, he had been hiding at the KCTU’s office.
Han managed to escape police at the Saturday rally and entered the temple Monday night.
Police have deployed a squad consisting of 80 officers and 40 detectives around the temple, which is also headquarters to the nation’s largest Buddhist order, to arrest him when he appears.
However, as there is little precedent for the authorities to force their way into a religious facility, police are unlikely to raid the temple to apprehend him right away.
“We are not going to raid the temple to arrest him at this moment,” a police officer said. “But we are seeking ways to capture him after consulting with the temple officials to force him out.”
Regarding Han’s stay, temple officials had a discussion but did not reach any conclusions. “We will not send him out, although we cannot express our official position because our head (Ven. Jaseung) is traveling overseas,” a temple official said.
The temple has served as a haven for activists wanted by the law, along with Myeongdong Cathedral, as law enforcement agencies are reluctant to enter religious places to arrest fugitives.
In 2013, Korail Union Vice President Park Tae-man and three of his colleagues also took refuge in the Buddhist temple. Police didn’t raid the temple and after holing up for more than 20 days he voluntarily came out.
Back in 2008, six activists who led the candlelit vigil concerning U.S. beef imports amid the mad cow disease scare also took refuge in the temple.
However, religious places have not protected activists every time. They sometimes ask them to leave or allow police to arrest them, especially when their activities are labor-related rather than democratic activism. Some also say that religious facilities should not be immune from law enforcement.
In 2000, Myeongdong Cathedral requested some labor unionists to leave the church as their stay inconvenienced worshipers. Also, in 2002, Jogye Temple asked police to enter the temple grounds to arrest labor activists who were protesting in the sanctuary.
On Nov. 14, tens of thousands of people from 53 labor and farmers unions and civic groups staged a 12-hour rally in protest against the government's actions to adopt state-authored history textbooks and reform the labor market, among others.
Police suppressed the protesters using water cannons, leaving a 69-year-old man, surnamed Baek, unconscious with a brain injury.