By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
A growing number of truckers are joining a strike in southwestern ports ahead of a threatened June 13 general strike by a nationwide cargo truck union, raising concern about the crippling of container transportation.
Drivers refused to operate about 4,000 cargo trucks in Pyeongtaek Port, Gyeonggi Province and Dangjin Port, South Chungcheong Province as of late Wednesday, the Ministry of Land Transport and Maritime Affairs said.
By company, those working for Hyundai Motor, Samsung Electronics and several other companies are joining the walkout, it said.
The government expects the planned general strike to disrupt the transport of containers. It will hold a meeting with the Korea Cargo Transport Workers' Federation today to explain its position on the strike and get related ministries to draw up counter measures.
The trade union has said the government's latest steps to alleviate the rise in oil price hikes are insufficient to help them cover their losses. The government last week said it would shoulder 50 percent of the increase in oil prices for truckers and bus drivers as part of a 10-billion-dollar tax rebate and subsidy package to help people cope with surging energy costs.
Candlelit Protests
In the meantime, candles lit by citizens, students and workers are unlikely to be blown out soon.
Protestors are showing no sign of easing their demand for the renegotiation of the beef imports deal with the United States, and the remainder of June is still dotted with more anniversaries.
Another massive rally is expected Friday, the sixth anniversary of the death of two middle school girls in an accident involving a U.S. armored vehicle in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. Their death saw the beginning of candlelit vigils as a new form of protest in Korea.
Many rally participants said they will continue to join the gatherings until President Lee Myung-bak accepts their demand for renegotiations.
``I wish I didn't need to come here. It's hard for me to come all the way down here from Paju in Gyeonggi Province,'' said Kim Ju-ok, 38, who took his child to the Wednesday's candlelit protest. ``I hope President Lee will know what went wrong. A shakeup of his Cabinet is not the right answer.''
A record number of people took to the streets in Seoul and other major cities across the nation Tuesday, the 21st anniversary of the June-10 pro-democracy movement. In terms of the number of protesters, the rally seems to have peaked. However, civic group members and workers pledge the rally will not lose steam.
``It's my third time to come here for the rally,'' said Shim Jae-wook, 50, who joined the protest with his son. ``If I have time, I'll come here again and again until President Lee renegotiates the beef import deal.''
A series of massive candlelit gatherings are expected to bring more people to the streets.
On Saturday, a commemoration ceremony will be held at the Seoul Plaza for Lee Byung-ryol, who burned himself to death last month during a candlelit protest in the southwestern city of Jeonju.
Sunday is the eighth anniversary of the historic inter-Korean summit. Liberals are expected to join hands to denounce the Lee administration for scrapping the Sunshine Policy of engagement with North Korea.
A coalition of civic groups plans to make the candlelit meetings a regular event, especially over the weekend to allow more citizens to join until the government renegotiates the beef deal.
As President George W. Bush plans to visit Seoul in July, another massive protest is expected on the occasion of his visit unless the beef issue is resolved.