Railway union goes on 4-day strike

Industry

Published: 14 Sep. 2023, 11:07

Railway union goes on 4-day strike

People wait to board a subway train at Bupyeong Station in Incheon on Thursday, the day the Korean Railway Workers' Union began its four-day general strike. [NEWS1]

The Korean Railway Workers' Union (KRWU) began its four-day general strike at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

The union kicked off its first general strike in almost four years, which is expected to decrease passenger and freight service by up to 60 percent until it ends at 9 a.m. on Monday.

The government and Korail plan to muster replacement personnel to maintain the subway and the KTX bullet trains to operate at around 70 percent of normal levels.

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Korail said in a statement that passengers who purchased tickets for trains halted due to the walkout will receive a full refund.

The union's first general strike since November 2019 calls on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to discuss measures to allow the KTX trains to access Suseo Station in Gangnam District, southern Seoul.

Suseo Station is the starting station for another bullet train service, Super Rapid Train (SRT), run by SR Corporation. The unionized workers say that integrating Korail's KTX and SRT routes will ease seat shortages and lower fare prices.

The union has been alleging that the government is SR Corporation preferentially to seek privatization of railroads.

The KRWU is also demanding 12-hour shifts by four teams.

Labor Minister Lee Jeong-sik on Wednesday asked workers to call off their general strike, citing its negative impact on the public's daily lives.

BY SOHN DONG-JOO [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]