The Police move in force at Ssangyong plant

However, they haven't entirely cleared the plant entirely and a group of some 800 protesters are reportedly holding out in the paint shop.

The building reportedly contains more than 33,000 litres of inflammable material including paint thinner. For safety reasons, the police are said to be cautious about moving into the paint shop.

The police move came after Ssangyong Motor cut off water and gas to the plant.

The protesting workers reportedly fired nuts and bolts from large slingshots Monday as about 700 officers sheltering behind steel nets deployed.

Police have been reluctant to get involved in the management-labour confrontation which started after a massive layoff announced last month as part of restructuring efforts to keep the company afloat and avoid liquidation.
Ssangyong has been under bankruptcy protection since February.

Ssangyong Motor's managerial officers and management-backed employees unaffected by the layoff plan help their colleagues who were injured while they were fighting against fired unionised workers to enter the worksite in Pyeongtaek, about 70 km (40 miles) south of Seoul, June 26, 2009.

Policemen, temporary security guards, SSangyong's managerial officers and management-backed employees unaffected by layoff plan, entered the plant on Friday, where about 1,000 unionised workers have been on strike since May 21, demanding management keep the assembly line workforce at current levels in a self-rescue plan the company is devising under a court order.

The carmaker has called for more than 1,000 workers to be laid off, triggering protests from the labour union.