Prime Minister Han: "If Daewoo Shipbuilding Subcontractor Union Stops Occupation, Government Will Support Negotiations and Strictly Respond to Illegal Acts"

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is presiding over the Government Policy Coordination Meeting held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 14th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Kim Hyewon] Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stated on the 14th regarding the strike situation of subcontractor labor unions at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, "If the union members cease the occupation and come to the negotiation table, the government will actively support the negotiations."

In his opening remarks at the 3rd Government Policy Issue Inspection and Coordination Meeting held at the Government Seoul Office on the same day, Prime Minister Han said, "I urge the union members to promptly return to the dialogue table."

Referring to last month's domestic consumer price inflation rate reaching the 6% range, marking the highest in about 24 years, Prime Minister Han said, "Moreover, most opinions are that 'the inflation peak has not yet been reached,'" and "Household expenditure burdens and difficulties for companies may continue for some time." He pointed out, "In such circumstances, all economic agents should share the difficulties, but regrettably, the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering subcontractor strike is prolonging, raising concerns about the region and the national economy."

Prime Minister Han said, "The shipbuilding industry, which has faced difficulties for several years, is now encountering an opportunity for recovery," adding, "It is very unfortunate that production is being disrupted at this crucial time, and it is a situation that dampens economic recovery." He further stated, "If illegal acts continue, we will have no choice but to respond strictly according to law and principles."

He continued, "First, we must promptly implement measures to stabilize people’s livelihoods," emphasizing, "Structural problem solutions such as restructuring public sector expenditures must be pursued more vigorously than ever." Prime Minister Han urged, "Each ministry should swiftly proceed with the tasks that need to be done immediately, broken down by detailed projects," and added, "Efforts to inform the public in detail about the progress of policies must continue."

The agenda items discussed that day included ▲Improvement of regulations on new industries such as artificial intelligence and data (Ministry of Science and ICT) ▲Measures to prevent personal information leaks in the public sector (Personal Information Protection Commission) ▲Recent labor trends and measures for long-term dispute workplaces (Ministry of Employment and Labor) ▲Plans to reform the dairy system (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) ▲Plans to promote first-class veterans affairs (Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs). Regarding personal information measures, Prime Minister Han said, "Usually, when an incident occurs, regulations related to it are often created first," adding, "While strengthening regulations to prevent illegal acts is somewhat necessary, it is also important to carefully review with balance whether such regulations might suppress other aspects or impose a heavy burden."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.