By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
The newly-elected leader of the militant Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) said Friday that he will not accept the revisions to the labor law halting the payment of wages by companies to full-time union officials and allowing more than one union at a single worksite.
"The revision is only creating confusion," said Kim Young-hoon, the former chief of the railroad workers' union, who was elected as the head of the trouble-ridden KCTU.
"I will bring fundamental changes to the revision on the basis of a consensus among our member unions," Kim said during his interview with Yonhap News.
He also pledged to bring progressive parties together ahead of the June 2 local elections.
"It is my campaign pledge," he said, adding that it was a consensus reached among members to have their opinions strongly reflected in the political process.
Kim said that he is open to any formulation, "whether it is a coalition of parties or a consolidation of parties."
Regarding a sexual assault case involving some members, he said that he was not fully aware of the details but promised to deal with the issue from the perspective of protecting the victim.
The 42-old new leader is known as a moderate activist and is the youngest chief in KCTU history. Kim beat his rival Huh Young-ku by winning 52 percent of the vote.
He also pledged to stop the government crackdown on unionized civil servants and strengthen communications between headquarters and branches. He also vowed to make a stronger KCTU.
Kim, who also served as the first chief of the National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers, was arrested for leading a strike in March 2006.
He will head the group consisting of some 600,000 members until January 2013.
The KCTU has been in the hot seat over allegations of sexual assaults among its members. It was stonewalled during negotiations over the revision of the labor law late last year.