Strike in South Korea widens

A strike by trade unions in South Korea has widened with hospital staff joining chemical and metal workers in the protest.

They are demanding better conditions and an end to government plans to privatise state-run industries.

But the government contested the Korean Federation of Trade Unions figures of the numbers who joined their strike call.

Correspondents say the South Korean government is desparate to avoid strikes marring the football World Cup Finals, which start next week with South Korea and Japan as co-hosts.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service