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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Seoul, October 14 — Fair Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Joo Byung-ki formally apologized for the agency’s past decision to treat construction labor unions as business entities subject to sanctions, calling it a “mistaken ruling.” He also announced plans to investigate Myeongnyundang, the operator of the barbecue franchise Myeongnyun Jinsa Galbi, over alleged illegal lending practices, and vowed strict penalties against MBK Partners if violations are found.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Political Affairs Committee for a parliamentary audit on Monday, Joo responded to bipartisan questioning on several major controversies involving the FTC.
When Rep. Han Chang-min (Social Democratic Party) asked whether he would apologize for sanctioning the Korean Construction Workers’ Union, Joo stated,
“I take this opportunity to express my deepest apologies.”
He added,
“Applying a business regulation standard to special employment workers, such as cargo truck drivers whose labor status is recognized by the ILO, amounted to an infringement of constitutional labor rights—as the first-instance court has already ruled.”
Committee Chair Rep. Yoon Han-hong (People Power Party) pressed further, asking whether Joo was effectively disavowing the FTC’s previous rulings. Joo replied,
“I believe there were indeed wrongful decisions in the past.”
Earlier, the FTC had classified the Korean Construction Workers’ Union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) as a business association and imposed fines for alleged collusive acts. The agency had also referred the Cargo Truckers’ Solidarity Division to prosecutors for obstructing an on-site investigation.
Joo’s remarks mark a rare admission of fault by the FTC regarding its regulatory approach toward labor organizations—a move likely to reshape the agency’s stance on the intersection of competition law and labor rights.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
