Militant labor group in crisis as affiliates jump ship

SEOUL, April 10 (Yonhap) -- The Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU)
appears to be sinking deeper into trouble as affiliated labor unions are moving
to quit their membership in protest over corruption within the group's
leadership.
Unions for Incheon Rapid Transit Corp., a subway operator in the port city west
of Seoul, and Incheon International Airport Corp. said Friday that unionized
workers are expected to approve their withdrawal from the KCTU in a vote expected
to continue through Friday evening.
The reputation of the KCTU, the more militant of the nation's two labor umbrella
groups, has been tarnished by a recent sex scandal involving senior members. The
KCTU claims nearly 750,000 members among some 2,000 affiliated unions nationwide.
The scandal erupted when a ranking KCTU member was arrested last month for
attempting to rape his female colleague, which led to en mass resignations of
KCTU leaders. The case has also stripped KCTU of its moral authority in pushing
forward militant labor activities.
The two transportation labor unions in Incheon, which have about 1,900 unionized
workers under their wing, said they decided to leave the KCTU after accusing it
of being excessively political and neglecting the individual circumstances of
member unions.
The Ministry of Labor said a union's withdrawal from labor umbrella groups, like
the KCTU, can be approved if more than half of its unionized workers give their
consent in a general vote.
In a related move, a union of a taxi companies in the city of Gunpo, south of
Seoul, also announced recently that it will vote later this month on whether to
withdraw from the KCTU, saying their members are interested in making money
rather than engaging in political struggles.
New KCTU Chairman Lim Seong-kyu said during a press conference Thursday that his
organization would strive for unity among its members and blamed the leaders of
the affiliate groups for causing a rift among workers.
brk@yna.co.kr
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