Railway strike comes to dramatic end

Rep. Kim Moo-sung of the governing Saenuri Party, second from left, and Rep. Lee Yoon-seok of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), right, hold an agreement to form a special parliamentary panel to prevent privatization of rail services and end a 22-day strike by railway workers in a press conference at the National Assembly, Monday. With them were Rep. Kim Tae-heum from the Saenuri, left, and Rep. Park Ki-choon of the DP.
/ Yonhap

Unionists accept behind-the-scenes bipartisan compromise proposal

By Kim Jae-won

The union of the Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL) Monday agreed to end its prolonged strike, accepting a lawmakers' compromise proposal.

The compromise calls for the ruling Saenuri and main opposition Democratic parties to form a panel, staffed by four lawmakers from both sides, to ensure KORAIL is not privatized. It will be chaired by Rep. Kang Seok-ho of Saenuri.

The panel may be supported by representatives of the union and the government. In return, the workers will be back on the job by 11 a.m. today.

The end to the 22-day strike came in a dramatic fashion given the intensity of the rhetoric and relations between the union and the government. It was widely expected that the walkout, which seriously affected nationwide logistics and strained passenger transportation, would last into next year.

The agreement came as the result of behind-the-scenes negotiations involving KORAIL union leader Kim Myung-hwan, Rep. Kim Moo-sung of the ruling Saenuri Party and Democratic Party Rep. Park Ki-choon.

The subcommittee will be responsible for fleshing out measures to prevent KORAIL from being sold to private companies.

"I command all the union members come back to their workplaces by 11 a.m. on Dec. 31. We are transferring the all-out walkout fight to a workplace fight," said KORAIL union leader Kim in a press conference at the headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) in downtown Seoul.

KORAIL welcomed the end of the strike, saying it respects the agreement mediated by the National Assembly.

Some 8,700 workers of KORAIL walked off their jobs on Dec. 9 in protest of the company's plan to establish a subsidiary to run part of its high-speed train services. The union argued the move was the first step toward rail privatization.

The agreement provided the union with a face-saving way out of the walkout, as the government has stuck to its no-compromise stance despite disruptions in rail services.

If necessary, a policy advisory panel can also be established that includes officials from KORAIL, its union, the government and civilian experts.

However, police and prosecutors said they will continue pursuing union leaders for staging the "illegal" walkout, regardless of the deal reached by the three parties.

Kim and several other union leaders have been hiding inside the KCTU office and Jogye Temple in downtown Seoul after arrest warrants for them were issued.

"We will detain KORAIL union leader Kim Myung-hwan as soon as he comes out," said a senior police officer.

Prosecutors also said they will deal with the unauthorized walkout in accordance with the law.

"Those responsible for the illegal labor activities will be held liable despite the decision to end the walkout," a prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said, adding that the prosecution will execute the arrest warrants as well.

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