At least 6 injured in Ssangyong plant clash

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES paras 2-8)
PYEONGTAEK, South Korea, July 21 (Yonhap) -- At least six people were injured
Tuesday as police clashed with unionized workers occupying the plant of the
ailing Ssangyong Motor Co. to protest mass layoffs.

Nearly 1,000 unionized workers have occupied several shops of the plant in this
rural town, about 70km south of Seoul, for two months, paralyzing Ssangyong's
production. Acting on a court eviction order, some 3,000 riot police were
deployed at the gates of the plant Monday for a possible raid.
Four policemen and two non-union Ssangyong employees were injured Tuesday as riot
police faced off with unionists hurling fire bombs and shooting bolts and nuts,
according to police and company officials. Several unionized workers were
reportedly injured in the clash, but the number was not immediately known.
Earlier in the day, nearly 1,000 riot police moved into the plant to pressure
unionized workers to end their occupation of a paint shop. Later in the evening,
some 600 riot police secured the plant's two press shops from unionized workers,
police officials said.
Turning up the heat on the protesting workers, three police helicopters sprayed
liquid tear gas on workers who were occupying the rooftop of the paint shop.
During the two-day standoff, four policemen and six non-union Ssangyong employees
were injured, according to police.
Police said about 1,000 riot police were deployed inside the factory grounds with
nearly 2,000 others on standby outside.
Meanwhile, about 1,500 non-union employees reported to work, cleaning and
checking the plant's research and other facilities to prepare for work
resumption.
"Some computers were broken or lost, but that did not pose a problem for people
getting back to work," said Chung Mu-young, a Ssangyong spokesman. "I haven't
been able to assess the damage to plant facilities because the union members
fired pieces of metal (at me) from slingshots."
The 61-day occupation has cost Ssangyong 245.6 billion won (US$196.5 million), or
11,520 vehicles, in lost production, according to Chung.
Ssangyong officials said the company has stopped supplying water and gas to the
four-story paint shop, the largest building in the Ssangyong plant.
Lee Chang-geun, a union spokesman, accused the company of cutting the water and
food supply.
"We are facing difficulties in using toilets or washing as the water supply is
cut," Lee said. "Such measures only make union colleagues more angry."
In February, Ssangyong, the smallest carmaker in South Korea, received bankruptcy
protection in exchange for implementing a turnaround plan that calls for 36
percent of its workforce, or 2,646 employees, to be cut.
Since then, some 1,670 workers have left the company through voluntary retirement
plans, while the remaining 976 workers have been on strike since May 21.
In the first six months of this year, Ssangyong's auto sales plunged 73.9 percent
from the same period last year to 13,020 units.
Ssangyong is still 51 percent owned by China's Shanghai Automotive Industry
Corp., but the Chinese parent lost its management control after Ssangyong entered
bankruptcy protection.
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