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Fugitive S Korean union boss in temple 'to give himself up' Fugitive S Korean union boss in temple surrenders
(about 1 hour later)
A South Korean trade union leader who took refuge from police in Jogye Temple in the capital Seoul, has agreed to give himself up, local media said. Police in South Korea have detained a trade union leader who has been taking refuge in a Buddhist Temple in Seoul for almost a month.
Han Sang-gyun, head of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), is accused of inciting violence at an anti-government rally on 14 November. Han Sang-gyun, head of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), surrender to police on Thursday
He has been in hiding the Buddhist temple ever since the protest. He is accused of inciting violence at an anti-government rally on 14 November.
Monks earlier warned police not to force their way inside, saying it would be an act of religious persecution. On Wednesday police began an operation to enter the temple, but delayed it on the request of the monks.
On Wednesday evening, an operation to arrest him was suspended after police had already begun sealing off the site. The monks warned said it would be an act of religious persecution for police to raid the temple.
"If the police raid the temple, it... will be tantamount to a state clampdown on the Jogye Order and on the whole Buddhist movement in South Korea," it said in a statement. "If the police raid the temple, it... will be tantamount to a state clampdown on the Jogye Order and on the whole Buddhist movement in South Korea," temple officials said in a statement.
However, as hundreds of police amassed to raid the building, the executive chief of the temple held a press conference saying the Jogye Order would resolve the issue by noon on Thursday. He called for a ceasefire from both the police and the labour union. As hundreds of police surrounded the temple on Wednesday evening, the executive chief of the temple held a press conference saying the Jogye Order would resolve the issue by noon on Thursday, after which police suspended the raid.
On Thursday morning the KCTU said Mr Han would surrender to police after holding a press conference in the temple at around 11:00 local time (02:00 GMT), in a statement seen by AFP news agency. On Thursday, Mr Han finally emerged, paid his respects at the main temple, addressed his supporters and the media, and then gave himself up to waiting police.
The Korea Herald and Korea Times also reported that he would be surrendering. South Korean religious venues, particularly Christian churches, were often used by political activists seeking refuge in the 1980s. There is no law preventing police from raiding such buildings but they have often opted not to.
Those at the protest in November had a diverse range of grievances, from President Park Geun-hye's plans to make it easier to sack workers, to a decision to use only one, state-approved history textbook in the nation's schools.Those at the protest in November had a diverse range of grievances, from President Park Geun-hye's plans to make it easier to sack workers, to a decision to use only one, state-approved history textbook in the nation's schools.
The rally, which the government says was illegal, saw clashes between police using pepper spray and water cannon, and protesters, some of whom were armed with metal pipes and sharpened bamboo sticks.The rally, which the government says was illegal, saw clashes between police using pepper spray and water cannon, and protesters, some of whom were armed with metal pipes and sharpened bamboo sticks.
The subsequent police crackdown prompted a smaller demonstration on Saturday - 14,000 people, rather than the 60,000 estimated at November's protest - to demand an apology from the president.The subsequent police crackdown prompted a smaller demonstration on Saturday - 14,000 people, rather than the 60,000 estimated at November's protest - to demand an apology from the president.
Ms Park has drawn the ire of labour unions and farmers for planning to make it easier to dismiss workers and to cap the salaries of senior employees. However, many of her labour market policies are more popular with the general public, according to polls.Ms Park has drawn the ire of labour unions and farmers for planning to make it easier to dismiss workers and to cap the salaries of senior employees. However, many of her labour market policies are more popular with the general public, according to polls.
The BBC's Stephen Evans in Seoul says there is an increasingly bitter division between South Korea's conservative government and its left-wing critics, who accuse it of diminishing democracy.The BBC's Stephen Evans in Seoul says there is an increasingly bitter division between South Korea's conservative government and its left-wing critics, who accuse it of diminishing democracy.