S. Korea Fuel strike spreads; ports clogged
Pastor Dale Morgan
*S. Korea Fuel strike spreads; ports clogged*
16 Jun 2008 02:48:25 GMT
Source: Reuters
SEOUL, June 16 (Reuters) - South Korean construction workers went on
strike on Monday to press for cheaper fuel and higher pay, joining
thousands of truckers who walked off the job last week, crippling the
export-dependent country's ports.
More than 18,000 operators of construction machinery are also angry over
the policies of President Lee Myung-bak, who came to office in a
landslide victory but has seen his support plummet after an unpopular
deal to resume imports of U.S. beef.
Adding to his woes, the militant Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
(KCTU), which opposes Lee's privatisation and pension plans, is set to
announce the results of its all-but-certain vote to go on strike later
on Monday.
The strikes have so far cost the country $3.5 billion, according to the
commerce ministry.
They come as Lee grapples with massive street protests that initially
called for the repeal of the U.S. beef deal but broadened to attack a
range of his policies.
The demonstrations, which have hit a lull in recent days, could reignite
after the trade ministry said on Monday talks between South Korean
officials and the United States to address public health concerns over
the beef deal had broken down.
Lee's entire cabinet and all his top aides at the presidential office
have offered to resign, and Lee is expected to replace a sizable number
of them.
Unionised truckers represent only a small portion of the country's
drivers but play a key role in moving goods in and out of ports. About
14,000 walked off the job on Friday after talks on higher pay and
cheaper diesel broke down.
Movement of cargo containers through the country's biggest port of Busan
picked up slightly due as replacement drivers were brought in, but
remained precariously slow, with the port's container yard filled to 85
percent capacity, a port authority official said by telephone.
Lee has pledged to boost Asia's fourth-largest economy by 6 percent this
year, which economists say is overly ambitious in the face of record
high oil prices and a global slowdown.
Speaking to finance ministers from Asia and Europe on Monday, Lee warned
the world economy was facing its gravest crisis in more than three
decades and called for tighter coordination among regional organisations
to tackle the problem. (Reporting by Jack Kim; editing by Jonathan
Hopfner and Alex Richardson)