South Korean police said Monday they plan to seek a warrant to arrest the head of the union of Hyundai Motor Co., the country's No. 1 carmaker, for an alleged assault at a company event.
Arrest warrants will be sought for Park Yu-ki, the Hyundai Motor union leader, and two other union members over their alleged violence at the company's New Year ceremony on Jan. 4, police officials in this southeastern industrial city said.
Park and the two other unionists allegedly attacked Hyundai Motor's Ulsan plant President Yoon Yeo-chul at the ceremony, enraged by the management's decision to slash year-end bonuses by a third because the workers failed to meet production targets last year.
The union leaders are also alleged to have led a walkout from Dec. 28 to Jan. 3, bringing about 8.7 billion won (US$9.26 million) in production losses. The company has sued Park and 22 other union officials for their actions.
Hyundai Motor's union launched a partial strike earlier in the day in protest against the company's decision to slash year-end bonus payments, despite repeated calls from business and political circles to scrap the walkout plan.
