Striking MBC unionists to return to work

Unionists of the public broadcaster MBC decided to call off a 170-day strike and return to work, the union announced Tuesday.

The union said its members unanimously decided to go back to work Wednesday, as lawmakers agreed to discuss the MBC strike issue in the parliamentary session that opened early this month.

An estimated 500 employees went on strike in January demanding the resignation of company president Kim Jae-chul over what they call the broadcast network's biased coverage of politically sensitive issues and the normalization of the company's role as a major public broadcaster.

The strike forced the channel to cut back its programs, since most of the participants are reporters and entertainment show producers.

The decision came after ruling and opposition parties reached an agreement on efforts to settle the dispute in one of the country's major television networks, which the union said may open the way for Kim's resignation.

The walkout marks its 170th day Wednesday, passing the previous record of 50 days set up in 1992 as the longest strike in the company's history.

During the latest dispute, both sides refused to budge an inch over key issues. The union pressed the management, raising suspicions that Kim used a company credit card for personal purposes while the management hit back with lawsuits and disciplinary measures against union leaders. (Yonhap)