Privatization Plan For KEPCO Backed

The opposition Grand National Party said Tuesday that it decided to pass the government-proposed bill to privatize the Korea Electric Power Corporation during the parliament's current plenary session.

The union sector decried the move despite the party's promise to reflect part of the demand made by the electricity monopoly's labor union that privatization begin after a two-year grace period.

The Federation of Korean Trade Unions, the largest umbrella union group, criticized the opposition party's move, demanding that it retract the statement.

"The federation and the Korea Electric Power Corporation's union will go into allied struggle including an all-out strike should the privatization plan go through," the federation said. The 24,000-strong KEPCO union added that it will go ahead with a strike Thursday.