Government: "Daewoo Shipbuilding Strike Clearly Illegal... Strict Response According to Law"

Outdated Violence, Illegal Protest Methods Fail to Gain Support
Daewoo Shipbuilding Receives 7.1 Trillion Won of Public Funds
Occupation of Work Facilities Leads to Criminal Charges and Compensation Claims Unavoidable

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho is delivering a statement on the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering subcontractor labor union strike at the briefing room of the Government Seoul Office Building on the afternoon of the 18th. Attending the announcement were Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jeong-sik, and Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The government stated on the 18th that it "cannot avoid criminal punishment and liability for damages due to clear illegality" regarding the strike by the subcontractor labor union at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), and warned that "if the occupation protest continues, it will respond strictly according to law and principles."

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho announced this in a "Joint Statement from Relevant Ministries on the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Situation" at the Government Seoul Office Building. Attending the event were Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang, Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jeong-sik, and Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination Bang Moon-kyu.

Deputy Prime Minister Choo said, "I stand here with ministers from related ministries to earnestly appeal for the cessation of the illegal occupation occurring at Daewoo Shipbuilding," and pointed out, "The No. 1 dock at Daewoo Shipbuilding's Okpo Shipyard is a symbol of South Korea's shipbuilding competitiveness, capable of constructing four ultra-large vessels simultaneously, but this place has come to a halt since the illegal occupation by some subcontractor workers on the 22nd of last month."

He emphasized that despite Daewoo Shipbuilding having received 7.1 trillion won of public funds after the global financial crisis and needing to make painstaking efforts to normalize the company by leveraging the recovery of the shipbuilding market and expansion of orders, the illegal occupation incident is an irresponsible act that dashes the hopes of the majority of workers and the public.

Deputy Prime Minister Choo described the situation as "selfish behavior by some subcontractor workers who try to enforce their demands through illegal acts, forcing harm and sacrifice on about 18,000 fellow workers," and said, "Outdated violence and illegal methods of struggle no longer gain support from the general public or the majority of fellow workers."

He continued, "The exclusive occupation of key work facilities by the subcontractor union is a clear violation of the law, and they cannot avoid criminal punishment such as property damage and liability for damages," adding, "The public has been patient and waited enough for the union to come to the negotiating table. Now, the illegal acts must truly end."

Deputy Prime Minister Choo reiterated, "Our economy is facing persistent inflationary pressures and deepening public hardship amid rapid interest rate hikes, asset market instability, and real economy slowdown, expanding downside risks and uncertainties," and stressed, "Now is the time for everyone to unite, share the pain, and focus on reviving the economy."

He also warned that strong measures would be unavoidable if illegal acts continue. Deputy Prime Minister Choo said, "If the illegal occupation protest persists, the government will have no choice but to respond strictly according to law and principles," and added, "The government will strive for active mediation efforts and necessary policy support, including improving treatment for vulnerable workers."

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