One Person Disciplined and Reported for Violating Work Commencement Order... 475 Resume Transportation

Truck Drivers Ordered to Resume Work Gradually Return
Cement Transport Volume Recovers to Normal Levels

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] The government has requested prosecution and administrative sanctions against one cement truck owner who did not return to work despite receiving a work commencement order.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced on the 7th that it had completed on-site investigations into compliance with the work commencement order for 19 transportation companies and 516 truck owners as of the previous day. A total of 55 on-site investigation teams, composed of MOLIT, local governments, and police, have been investigating since the 5th whether 33 transportation companies and 791 truck owners who received the work commencement orders actually returned to work.

During this investigation, it was confirmed that one truck owner did not return to work. This truck owner was finally confirmed during the on-site investigation the previous day to have refused the work commencement order without justifiable reason. MOLIT requested prosecution and administrative sanctions from relevant agencies against this one truck owner who did not return to work.

Failure to comply with the work commencement order can result in imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million KRW. For transportation companies, the first refusal to comply with the work commencement order results in suspension of operation of violating vehicles for up to 30 days, and the second refusal can lead to cancellation of their license. Truck owners face qualification suspension upon the first refusal and qualification cancellation upon the second refusal.

Among the 19 transportation companies and 475 truck owners who completed additional on-site investigations, it was confirmed that they resumed transportation. Forty truck owners expressed willingness to transport but found immediate return to work difficult due to COVID-19.

As of the previous day, MOLIT reported a total of 65 suspected cases of collective transportation refusal near cement factories and other locations, of which work commencement orders were issued or planned for 50 cases.

Following the government's issuance of the work commencement order, truck owners have gradually returned to work, and cement transportation volume reached 166,000 tons the previous day. This is about 88% of the average volume for the same month in previous years (188,000 tons), nearly recovering to normal levels.

Nighttime container throughput at 12 major ports nationwide reached 126% compared to normal times, with Busan Port, the largest in throughput volume, recovering to 129%. Gwangyang Port, which had effectively halted container movement due to collective transportation refusal, also increased to 111% of normal levels by strengthening alternative transportation capacity.

On the other hand, shipment disruptions continue in the petroleum and steel industries. As of the previous day, 81 gas stations were out of stock. Steel shipments were at 47% of normal levels, and some companies are considering production cuts starting this weekend. In petrochemicals, export volumes were at 5% and domestic volumes at 65% of normal levels.

More than half of construction sites have stopped due to the collective transportation refusal. As of the previous day, 127 construction companies reported damages to construction projects, and 862 out of 1,506 construction sites (57%) experienced work stoppages.

The momentum of the strike is gradually declining. The number of participants in rallies related to the collective transportation refusal was 4,400 the previous day, down to 46% compared to the initial rally (9,600 participants). The police expect about 4,700 people to gather and disperse across 170 locations in 17 regions on that day.

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