KCTU Gwangju Branch Launches Countermeasures Committee for Kumho Tire Fire Recovery

On the morning of the 22nd, emergency authorities are dismantling the fire-damaged building using heavy machinery at Kumho Tire Gwangju Plant in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Yonhap News

The Gwangju branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) announced on the 9th that it has launched a Citizens' Countermeasures Committee to address the employment and economic crisis caused by the fire at the Kumho Tire Gwangju Plant.

The Citizens' Countermeasures Committee was formed at the suggestion of the KCTU Gwangju branch and includes the Kumho Tire labor union, the Gwangju Citizens' Coalition, and the offices of lawmakers Park Kyuntaek (Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangsan-gap) and Jeon Jongdeok (Progressive Party, Proportional Representation), among others.

Going forward, the Citizens' Countermeasures Committee plans to support Kumho Tire in promptly announcing its normalization plan for the Gwangju Plant. The committee will also continue activities such as requesting the designation of the area as an employment crisis zone and calling for comprehensive government-level support measures.

A representative from the KCTU Gwangju branch stated, "Citizens are anxious due to concerns over the employment and livelihoods of more than 2,500 workers, as well as the deterioration of the local economy," and added, "Kumho Tire must play an active and responsible role in resolving these issues."

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