'Illegal' Korean strike hits railways

Thousands of police are protecting key facilities

Thousands of South Korean public sector workers have gone on strike to protest against government privatisation plans and to call for a shorter working week.

Railway and electricity workers are continuing with an indefinite stoppage but a strike by gas-industry employees was called off after a few hours when their leaders agreed to hold discussions with management.

The government will take stern measures against those that incited the strike

Lee Han-Dong,
Prime Minister

The government says the strike is illegal and has said it will arrest 37 trade union leaders.

Korean law prohibits public-service employees from striking.

Commuters in the capital, Seoul, have been hit hard although the authorities have deployed buses and non-union rail workers in an attempt to keep the city moving. Only about one-third of normal rail services are running on many lines.

The government said on Monday there had been no interruption to power supplies.

Thousands of riot police have also been mobilised to protect key facilities.

Escalating action

The country's second largest union the Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) said workers in the manufacturing industries, including the Hyundai Motor Company, would walk out on Tuesday over working hours and shift patterns.

The strike is supported by the country's two trade union umbrella groups.

The country is undergoing painful economic restructuring

They are calling on the government to shelve its plans to privatise the services, which they fear will lead to mass lay-offs.

They are also calling for improved working conditions, including the introduction of a five-day working week without a pay cut.

The unions say they will continue their strike unless their demands are met.

The action comes on the day that President Kim Dae-jung marks his fourth anniversary in office.

With key local and presidential elections this year, his government is facing pressure to ease its reform drive, including economic restructuring which has led to painful mass lay-offs.