- Title: SOUTH KOREA: RIOT POLICE CLASH WITH STRIKING RAILWAY WORKERS IN SEOUL
- Date: 28th June 2003
- Summary: (W2) SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (JUNE 27, 2003) (REUTERS) GV: WORKERS' PROTEST RALLY ON EVE OF STRIKE AT SEOUL PARK (4 SHOTS) MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) PRESIDENT OF KOREAN FEDERATION OF TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC & SOCIAL SERVICES WORKERS' UNIONS, LEE SEUNG-WON, SAYING: "The government has not kept its promise, the agreement with us. To correct the government's wrongdoings, we are going on general strike even if it would cause inconvenience to the citizens." MV/CU/GV: MORE PROTEST RALLY (3 SHOTS) Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 13th July 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA6SM3IJNBAR7RK8G1GQABKL1OR
- Story Text: South Korean riot police have clashed with unionised rail way workers in Seoul. The workers had gone on strike early on Saturday demanding the scrapping of restructure plans for the state owned transport operations.
Clashes between riot police and protesters broke out in Seoul on Saturday (June 28) as several thousand South Korean railway workers went on a nationwide strike demanding the government scrap plans to restructure the state-owned railway network.
Seoul's riot police broke up the 3,000 Korean National Railroad workers' protest at the Yonsei University campus in the capital and authorities said around 2,000 other members of the rail union held demonstrations in other cities.
The scuffles started when riot police tried to take the protesters by force to police stations for questioning.
National police said about 1,700 workers have been detained at police stations thoughout the nation. There was no immediate report whether any workers were injured.
The government-drafted bill, allowing privatisation of KNR, is likely to be passed at the parliament this month.
Workers fear the restructuring will lead to reduced benefits and the 22,000-strong union claims the government has not kept its agreement with the union.
"The government has not kept its promise, the agreement with us. To correct the government's wrongdoings, we are going on general strike even if it would cause inconvenience to the citizens," said Lee Seung-won, President of Korean Federation of Transportation, Public & Social Services Workers' Unions, at a protest rally on the eve of the strike.
Authorities said several hundred workers had now gone back to work but a number of train services had been disrupted.
There have been a series of strikes over the past few months and some analysts and business leaders have criticised the government for taking a soft line, which they say encourages increased union militancy.
Hundreds of subway workers and some auto makers at Hyundai Motor Co held a stoppage earlier this week as truck drivers in the country's largest port city won higher pay after a strike in May.
A union at Chohung Bank also won a delay to its sale to rival Shinhan Financial Group earlier this month. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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