S. Korean truck drivers strike, but no major disruption reported

SEOUL, June 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean cargo transportation suffered no serious
disruption Thursday despite a strike by unionized truck drivers, who are
demanding the reinstatement of fired workers, government officials said Thursday.

The Korean Cargo Workers' Union, which claims about 15,000 members, launched a
nationwide strike earlier in the day after talks with their top client, Korea
Express Co., broke down.
"As of now, there are no disruptions at major ports, but the unionized cargo
drivers are expected to block traffic coming in and out of ports and container
holding yards," said an official at the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime
Affairs. "We have already warned that appropriate measures will be taken," he
said.
Cargo container trailer traffic in the Busan port, the country's largest, and
other major ports were running without disruptions, but some inland container
deports like Uiwang and Yangsan are adversely affected to some degree.
According to the ministry, there are 21,400 container trailer trucks across the
country, about 4,000 of which are run by unionized workers.
"In emergency steps, military trucks will be mobilized and more cargo rail
services are scheduled to prevent possible delay in shipments during the strike,"
the official said adding that the strike has no justification.
The union has staged strikes in the past demanding higher fuel subsidies and
transportation rates. The stoppages disrupted operations at seaports and cost
millions of dollars in export losses.
sam@yna.co.kr
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