SOUTH KOREA: South Korean workers hold massive rally in Seoul against a government decision to set up a unit to run a high-speed bullet train

Record ID: 214135

  • Title: SOUTH KOREA: South Korean workers hold massive rally in Seoul against a government decision to set up a unit to run a high-speed bullet train
  • Date: 28th December 2013
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF WORKERS HOLDING PLACARDS READING IN KOREAN SAYING:"PLEASE PROTECT RAILWAY" WORKERS WAVING PLACARDS WHILE SINGING
  • Embargoed: 12th January 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Korea, Republic of
  • Country: South Korea
  • Topics: Employment,Politics,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA78MUIDEUM1ZG6MIQ8YAUEMI8N
  • Story Text: About 30,000 South Korean workers on Saturday (December 28) held a massive rally to protest against a government decision to set up a unit to run the high-speed bullet train which they say will lead to privatization and layoffs.
    The workers gathered in downtown Seoul and chanted "Stop privatization! Park Geun-hye out!"
    Rail workers have been on strike since December 9 opposing South Korea's state-run rail operator's decision to establish a bullet train route under the control of a new subsidiary.
    The government issued a license for the subsidiary on Friday (December 28).
    "Since the time of candidacy, President Park Geun-hye has been endlessly saying that she was not going to privatize. But last night, all of sudden, she pushed ahead with privatization offering a rail service license to the new unit. It's unforgivable. We will fight until Park Geun-hye steps down," said Korean Confederation of Trade Unions spokesman Jeong Ho-hee.
    South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won convened a meeting with related ministers to deal with the prolonged strike and said the establishment of the affiliate is aimed at benefiting people by introducing competition to the nation's rail industry, Seoul's Yonhap news agency said.
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