Half a million S. Korean workers set for 2-week nationwide strike against President Yoon Suk-yeol

SEOUL – The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the more militant of the nation’s two largest umbrella labour organisations, has announced two weeks of strikes starting from Monday to call for the resignation of President Yoon Suk-yeol.

The strikes, expected to involve a total 400,000 to 500,000 workers, are in protest against Mr Yoon’s

proposed labour reform measures

and come as part of a broader pushback against perceived anti-union policies.

On Monday, approximately 3,000 workers, predominantly courier and home appliance repair personnel, ceased work to hold a rally at Gwanghwamun Square in the heart of the capital Seoul.

Following this gathering, more members of the KCTU will join in the strike.

On Wednesday, large-scale rallies are planned across the country, including in the metropolitan cities of Seoul, Daegu, Busan, Gwangju and the southern island of Jeju.

The following day, some service workers will hold a rally in front of Sungnyemun in Seoul. On July 8, public officials will hold a rally in Yeouido, Seoul.

On July 12, metal workers will go on a general strike. On July 13, health and medical workers as well as office employees will gather in Seoul to stage a rally. On July 15, there will be a rally calling for Mr Yoon’s resignation.

Candlelight rallies will be held throughout the country on the evenings of July 4, 7, 11, and 14 to urge President Yoon to resign.

The KCTU estimates that the rallies from July 3 to 15 will draw a total of 400,000 to 500,000 workers.

The nationwide protests come on the back of growing opposition to Mr Yoon’s proposed labour reform measures. Mr Yoon and the KCTU have been at loggerheads over various reform plans put forward by the government.

The Yoon administration had proposed a plan to

permit a working week of up to 69 hours,

while maintaining an

average maximum work week below 52 hours.

But it backed away from the plan after strong opposition from not only labour unions but also the country’s young people.

Mr Yoon has taken a tough stance on illegal acts committed by labour unions as part of his wider work reforms. He has also demanded that trade unions boost their financial transparency while denouncing some construction unions’ practices of receiving kickbacks and some labour unions’ political campaigns.

The Yoon administration is now pursuing a plan to restrict rallies at night or during commuting hours, as well as those by organisations that have a record of illegal demonstrations.

“We are going on a general strike because we need to stop regressive labour reforms. The KCTU declares an all-out struggle against the Yoon government, and this two-week strike is the first step,” KCTU chairman Yang Kyung-soo said at a press conference.

The government plans to take strict measures against illegal acts during protests. National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun said: “We will guarantee the right to stage pre-reported rallies, but we will manage those outside the scope of the report as illegal acts.”

The National Police Agency plans to mobilise up to 9,300 police a day to respond to those rallies. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK