Kyunghyong "Government Must Take Firm Public Authority Action Against 'Metalworkers Union General Strike'"

"It's not the time to fight just to enforce one-sided demands"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The Korea Employers Federation (KEF) has demanded the government to firmly enforce public authority in response to the nationwide general strike led by the Korean Metal Workers' Union (KMWU), affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU).

On the 19th, KEF stated in a press release, "Our country is currently facing a complex economic crisis characterized by a 'triple burden' of simultaneous increases in prices, exchange rates, and interest rates, along with sluggishness in the three major pillars of the economy: production, consumption, and investment."

According to industry sources, the KMWU has instructed its affiliated organizations to begin a 6-hour strike during both day and night shifts this week and to participate in the general strike rallies held in Seoul and Geoje on the 20th.

The KMWU is the largest industrial union in South Korea, comprising large workplaces with many production workers in sectors such as automobile manufacturing and shipbuilding. The total number of union members reaches 200,000.

KEF pointed out, "The KMWU has announced the general strike under slogans such as 'Achieving Industrial-level Collective Bargaining,' 'Achieving Government-Labor Negotiations,' and 'Victory for Subcontracted Branches.' Now is the time for all economic actors to unite to overcome the crisis, not to fight to enforce their unilateral demands."

They added, "The KMWU should withdraw its general strike plan immediately. In particular, illegal activities at industrial sites such as subcontractors of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and Hyundai Steel must be stopped at once."

KEF also urged the government, stating, "If illegal acts occur during the KMWU's general strike and assemblies, public authority must be firmly enforced according to law and principles."

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