Korean Confederation of Trade Unions on General Strike

Korean Confederation of Trade Unions

KCTU’s ‘History-Changing’ Indefinite General Strike

“Until Yoon Suk-yeol, Accused of Insurrection, Steps Down”

1. Today (5th), as the Korean Railway Workers’ Union and Korean Metal Workers’ Union begin their strike, school non-regular workers will join tomorrow. The unions state they will continue striking into next week if President Yoon doesn’t resign.

2. This is KCTU’s second indefinite general strike. The first one lasted 24 days from 26th December 1996 to 18th January 1997, protesting against President Kim Young-sam’s rushed regressive reform of labour laws. That strike successfully blocked the legislation. KCTU announces this second indefinite strike in 28 years as “a struggle to protect democracy” following Yoon’s alleged insurrection on December 3rd.

3. KCTU states that “What Yoon calls an emergency – the impeachment of government officials and budget cuts – are actually Parliament’s constitutional rights.” They add that “The martial law declared on the 3rd doesn’t meet constitutional requirements and procedures, and doesn’t properly follow martial law itself.” We demand Yoon’s arrest and impeachment for insurrection.

4. On the 3rd, after martial law was declared, KCTU called an emergency meeting and announced an indefinite general strike until Yoon’s government steps down. The next morning, they announced they would join the ‘National Emergency Action for Ending Martial Law, Removing Yoon for Insurrection, and Achieving Social Reform and People’s Sovereignty’.

5. Since Yoon’s alleged insurrection on December 3rd, various affiliates and regions branches of the KCTU are discussing their own plans for strikes and rally participation. A large turnout of KCTU members and citizens is expected at the third People’s Rally on December 7th.

Korean Confederation of Trade Unions