▲ Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions protest against the Yoon Suk Yeol government's labor policies in a rally in Seoul, in this file photo taken May 2023. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) labor union-strike

(LEAD) Biggest umbrella labor group goes on 2-week general strike

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; UPDATES throughout; CHANGES photo)

SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), South Korea's largest umbrella labor group, launched a two-week general strike Monday to protest the Yoon Suk Yeol government's labor policies.

Yang Kyung-soo, the chairman of the KCTU, declared the start of the walkout under the slogan, "Down with the Yoon Suk Yeol government," in a press conference in front of the presidential office.

The strike, which will run through July 15, is aimed at rallying public support for its call for the ouster of the Yoon government, demanding a hike in the minimum wage and stopping what it calls the government's "pro-chaebol and anti-labor" policies, KCTU officials said.

Chaebol are family-run conglomerates.

Also on the agenda are stopping Japan's plan to release contaminated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant and guaranteeing the freedom of assembly and demonstration.

The union estimates more than 400,000 of its 1.2 million members would join the strike but said the collective action is not expected to cause much inconvenience to the public as each industry's participation will be limited to one or two days.

According to the KCTU, the labor union of Hyundai Motor will stage a strike on July 12, along with the Korean Metal Workers' Union. The parcel service workers' union was to go on strike Monday.

The medical workers' union has vowed an indefinite general strike, beginning July 13.

During the two-week strike, the umbrella union also plans to hold evening candlelight rallies nationwide, demanding the resignation of the Yoon government.

Yang accused the Yoon government of "devastating" people's livelihoods, democracy and the labor sector, saying, "We are going on a general strike because we cannot let the Yoon government destroy the country."

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