South Korea’s metal workers are staging a one-day strike on Wednesday, adding to the growing nationwide protests demanding the resignation of President Yoon Suk Yeol, Bloomberg reports.
The Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU), the country’s largest metalworkers’ union with 190,000 members, announced the labor action in a statement.
The strike will see workers at all three Kia Corp. plants and its suppliers participate in a four-hour walkout. A KMWU spokesperson confirmed the action by phone. While workers at other major companies, including Hyundai Motor Co., Posco Holdings Inc., and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., will not be participating in Wednesday’s strike, the KMWU will hold a meeting on December 19th to assess the situation and determine whether further strike action is necessary.
The KMWU’s participation in the broader protest movement reflects the active role Korean unions often play in political affairs. The current wave of protests follows President Yoon’s narrowly averted impeachment, stemming from his controversial attempt to enact martial law – an attempt widely seen as bungled and sparking widespread outrage.
In addition to calling for President Yoon’s resignation, labor activists are also using the protests to demand improvements in working conditions and higher wages. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the nation’s largest umbrella union with 1.2 million members, has pledged to continue striking until President Yoon leaves office.
