The Guardian 6 December, 2006
Over 200,000 in Korean general strike
On November 15 the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a four-hour
"Warning Strike" to pressure a reluctant South Korean Government to begin discussions
with it. The government did not respond to the warning, so on November 22, there was a
full-fledged general strike, with over 200,000 workers across South Korea taking
part.
Jo Jun Ho, President of the KCTU, told a press conference to foreign correspondents on the eve of
the action, "We believe our call for a General Strike is justified because the issues we are fighting
for will have big consequence for South Korean workers for possibly the next 30 years. Thus, we
have decided to once again go on a general strike. However, this does not mean that we are not
open for negotiations. Even during the strike, we are open."
The main demands of the KCTU are for the government to: to stop the Irregular Workers Bill; to
withdraw the Industrial Relations Roadmap Bill; to stop the negotiations of the Korean-US free
trade agreement; and to fundamentally reform the OHS insurance bill.
Many of the KCTU affiliates, specifically the Korean Metal Workers Federation, shut down the main
automobile factories of Hyundai, Kia, and Ssangyong as well as the factories of Kumo
Tires.
In addition to thousands of workers who stopped work in the worksites of Ulsan, Masan, and Asan,
members of Chunkyojo (The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union) took annual leave to
participate in the General Strike. Close to 7000 teachers across the country did so but in order to
ensure that their student's education was not interrupted, Chunkyojo members planned their daily
classes to be instructed by substitute teachers.
The KCTU and its branches conducted rallies in front of city halls or other major central places in
13 cities. Members of the KCTU were joined by peasant's organisations, the Korean Democratic
Labor Party, and other civil society groups for coordinated actions calling for an end to the KORUS
FTA negotiations.