Pyeongtaek Takes Initiative to Save Ssangyong Motor... First Labor-Management-Civil-Government Cooperation Meeting

Joining Forces for Early Business Normalization through Signature and SNS Relay Campaigns

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Pyeongtaek=Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] As Ssangyong Motor undergoes rehabilitation proceedings for the first time in 10 years, the local community centered around Pyeongtaek City has launched a campaign to save Ssangyong Motor. If Ssangyong Motor is not normalized early, hundreds of thousands of people will lose their jobs, and the local economy could face a crisis.

On the 21st, labor and management of Ssangyong Motor and political and civic figures from the Pyeongtaek area formed a special consultative body for labor, management, civil, and government cooperation and held the first cooperation meeting for the early normalization of Ssangyong Motor. The cooperation meeting was created by Ssangyong Motor’s labor and management, Pyeongtaek City, Gyeonggi Province, and local district lawmakers to prevent unemployment of 200,000 employees of Ssangyong Motor and its second- and third-tier suppliers and to prevent deterioration of the local economy. Attendees included Jeong Yong-won, Ssangyong Motor’s court-appointed manager; Jeong Il-kwon, chairman of the Ssangyong Motor labor union; Jeong Jang-seon, mayor of Pyeongtaek; Hong Seon-ui, chairman of the Pyeongtaek City Council; Kim Jae-gyun, member of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly; Jeong Do-young, Gyeonggi Province Economic Planning Officer; Hong Ki-won, member of the Democratic Party; and Yoo Ui-dong, member of the People Power Party, among other labor, management, and local political figures.

The consultative body agreed to launch a broad civic movement to support the early business normalization of Ssangyong Motor and stabilize the local community. Mayor Jeong said in his opening remarks, “Ssangyong Motor is facing a difficult situation for the first time in 10 years, and citizens are very concerned. Pyeongtaek City will also join forces to help it recover quickly.” The consultative body plans to carry out various initiatives and support activities such as signature campaigns for Ssangyong Motor’s normalization, social network service (SNS) relay campaigns, campaigns to encourage purchasing Ssangyong Motor vehicles, and financial support for Ssangyong Motor and its partner companies.

Pyeongtaek City also formed the “Ssangyong Motor Saving Pan-Citizen Countermeasures Committee” the day before to devise ways to assist in the early normalization of Ssangyong Motor in the Pyeongtaek area. Lawmaker Hong emphasized, “Ssangyong Motor is one of the few companies in Korea that can handle everything from design to production and sales. Normalizing Ssangyong Motor is important not only for Pyeongtaek but also for our national economy,” pledging support for Ssangyong Motor’s normalization.

The labor and management of Ssangyong Motor also expressed their intention to join forces to overcome the crisis at this meeting. Manager Jeong Yong-won said, “Before the rehabilitation proceedings, when Ssangyong Motor was facing management difficulties, labor and management made unprecedented efforts such as a 20% wage cut and suspension of welfare benefits, and proactively sold assets worth over 200 billion won to secure cash, but unfortunately, we have come to this situation. Ssangyong Motor employees see this as the last chance to save the company and are determined to carry out reform and innovation.”

On the 21st, a sign with a phrase wishing for the early normalization of Ssangyong Motor was erected at Pyeongtaek Station Plaza. Photo by Ki-min Lee victor.lee@