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SKorea seeks arrest of 44 over auto strike
Seoul (AFP) Aug 9, 2009 South Korean police said Sunday they were seeking the formal arrest of 44 people over a strike at troubled automaker Ssangyong Motor that ended last week after a long-running and violent standoff. The formal arrest would open the way for prosecutors to file charges against the group, who were among 96 mostly Ssangyong workers taken in for questioning last week after occupying the factory for 77 days in protest at layoffs. Fifty-two of those originally detained were released at the weekend, police in Gyeonggi province said. "Arrest warrants have been sought for the remaining 44, including 41 Ssangyong workers, for having used violence and obstructed business or official duties," a Gyeonggi police spokesman told AFP. The spokesman said police asked local court judges late Saturday to issue the arrest warrants, and hoped to receive them on Monday. Police had previously formally arrested another 23 people during the more than two-month standoff at the Ssangyong Motor plant in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometres (43 miles) south of Seoul, pending charges being filed. Ssangyong strikers Thursday agreed to a redundancy deal after a massive police raid. More than 100 people were hurt during the standoff last week as strikers battled riot police with giant catapults, firebombs and steel pipes. Police commandos on Wednesday launched a helicopter-born raid on the factory, stepping up pressure on striking unionists who were cornered in a paint shop full of inflammable thinner. Under the deal agreed Thursday, roughly half of about 970 workers who had refused to accept redundancy will be allowed instead to take an unpaid long-term leave of absence. The Chinese-invested Ssangyong, South Korea's smallest automaker, received court protection from creditors in February in exchange for a turnaround plan that calls for massive layoffs and cost savings. The company says it hopes to resume production next week. Police said Sunday it had separately filed a lawsuit seeking damages against the Ssangyong union, saying 49 officers had been hurt and equipment destroyed by strikers during the standoff. China's Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp has a 51 percent stake in Ssangyong but lost management control when it received bankruptcy protection. The company, which specialises in sport utility vehicles and luxury sedans, was the country's first high-profile victim of the global economic downturn. Some Ssangyong creditors, consisting of auto parts suppliers, Wednesday filed a petition with a bankruptcy court, demanding the firm quickly liquidate the carmaker to recoup their debts. The court is expected to postpone its decision until after the company submits its restructuring plan. This must be filed by September 15. Share This Article With Planet Earth
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