Presidential Office Takes a Step Back from "Waited Long Enough"... "Willing to Support"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 19th, the Presidential Office clarified that President Yoon Suk-yeol's remark "We have waited long enough" regarding the strike by the in-house subcontractor union at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) "does not necessarily imply the deployment of public authority." This statement is interpreted as a step back from President Yoon's earlier warning to "strictly punish illegal activities," leaving room for dialogue and urging the union to end the strike and engage in talks.

A Presidential Office official said during a briefing held at the Yongsan Presidential Office that day, in response to reporters' concerns that "if public authority is deployed to suppress the strike amid claims that the annual wages of DSME subcontracted workers have fallen to around 30 million won after COVID-19 and they are now demanding restoration to previous levels, it could harm the competitiveness of the shipbuilding industry," that the government’s stance is as such.

The official added, "The government’s policy is that if the union ends the strike quickly, dialogue can begin." He also emphasized, "The President is well aware of the difficult situation faced by subcontracted workers" and "he is fully willing to provide any necessary policy support."

Given that the Metal Workers' Union, the upper-level organization of the subcontractor union, has announced a general strike starting on the 20th, tensions between the government and the union are escalating. This statement appears to reflect a judgment that the government cannot only resort to harsh measures. Relatedly, voices from the opposition are also urging the government to immediately pursue peaceful resolution rather than deploying public authority, citing the 2009 suppression of the Ssangyong Motor strike during the Lee Myung-bak administration.

Earlier that morning, on his way to the Yongsan Presidential Office, President Yoon was asked by reporters, "Are you considering deploying public authority regarding the DSME strike? What is the expected timing?" He responded, "In industrial sites and labor-management relations, illegal acts must not be tolerated or condoned, whether by labor or management," and suggested the possibility of deploying public authority by saying, "I think both the public and the government have waited long enough."

President Yoon also pointed out the illegal nature of the DSME subcontractor union strike during his weekly meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo the previous day and instructed ministers to resolve the issue. In response, related ministries including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and Ministry of Justice issued a joint statement warning that they would strictly punish the DSME subcontractor union if the strike continued.

At the Cabinet meeting he presided over that morning, President Yoon stated, "As the illegal strike by the DSME subcontractor union prolongs, the damage to the shipbuilding industry, which is recovering with difficulty, and to our economy is enormous, and concerns among local communities and citizens are growing." He added, "The public will no longer tolerate illegal and threatening methods."

Kwon Seong-dong, acting leader of the People Power Party and floor leader, also urged a tough response at the party’s floor strategy meeting that day, saying, "The government should no longer hesitate and must respond strictly to illegal acts according to law and principles."

The DSME subcontractor union, the Geoje-Tongyeong-Goseong Shipbuilding Subcontractor Branch of the Korean Metal Workers' Union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, began striking on the 2nd of last month, demanding a 30% wage increase and recognition of union activities for full-time union officials.

Currently, they have occupied and are staging a sit-in at the first dock (Sanbuk Construction Yard), the largest dock at the Okpo Shipyard, where a super-large crude oil carrier (VLCC) is under construction, for about a month. The industry estimates that this strike has caused an accumulated economic loss of approximately 600 billion won.

Officials of the '7.23 Daewoo Shipbuilding Subcontractor Workers Hope Bus,' supporting the strike of the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering subcontractor labor union, hold a press conference announcing detailed plans for the Hope Bus on the 19th in front of the Industrial Bank of Korea in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

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