S Korean rail strike ends

Monday saw union federations hold rallies to back the rail strike

A four-day strike by railway workers in South Korea has been called off.

The majority of the Korean National Railway Workers' Union members have already returned to work.

The strike was ended less than a day after parliament passed a law clearing the way for a restructuring of the state railway system.

"With deep regret, we are wrapping up our work stoppage to avoid public inconvenience," said union chairman Chun Hwan-kyu.

Sixty per cent of the union members voted for an end to the strike.

Fed up

The strike had thrown the national transport system into chaos since it started on Saturday.

The workers said they ended the strike - not because they were wrong, but to alleviate any damage done to an economy which is suffering from widespread labour disputes and whose growth expectations are falling as a result.

But local media claimed pressure from a public fed up with the disruption had also played a part in the decision.

Face-off

The strike had pitted President Roh Moo-hyun, himself a former union lawyer, against his former colleagues.

Investors and media ratcheted up the pressure on the administration to get tough with unions following a negotiated settlement to a strike earlier in June, over the privatisation of the state-controlled Chohung Bank.

On Monday, about 120 union leaders were suspended as two top labour groups held rallies in support of the rail workers.

Parliament has passed a bill which will allow part of the loss-making railway to be split off and a government company set up to take charge.