President Moon: "Democratic Labor Union Should Refrain from Strikes as Much as Possible... Strict Action Against Illegal Activities"

Weekly Meeting

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seon-hee] President Moon Jae-in commented on the nationwide general strike announced by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) scheduled for the 20th, stating, "We are currently entering a relatively stable phase in the quarantine situation, and this is a critical time when the entire nation is united in preparing for the restoration of daily life in November," and added, "I hope the KCTU will exercise maximum restraint from striking in a magnanimous spirit," on the 18th.

According to the Office for Government Policy Coordination, President Moon and Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum held their weekly meeting on the same day to discuss countermeasures against the KCTU general strike. President Moon instructed Prime Minister Kim, "Prepare measures focusing on areas closely related to citizens' daily lives, such as school meals and childcare, in case the general strike is carried out, and strictly deal with illegal acts such as violations of quarantine rules."

Prime Minister Kim reported, "Since the KCTU is actively encouraging its affiliated unions to participate in the strike, the likelihood of the strike being executed is currently high." He added, "We will persuade the unions to refrain from striking until the end," and expressed hope that "the unions will make a wise choice."

Additionally, President Moon and Prime Minister Kim discussed current issues such as innovation in the content industry and additional Janssen vaccine booster shots.

Prime Minister Kim said, "Following movies and K-pop, the recent success of the drama 'Ojingeo Game' (Squid Game) has brought attention to the content industry as a new growth engine," and added, "Various sectors are raising the need to strengthen the content industry's capabilities, including the concentration of content revenues on global platforms." He reported, "Now is the time for groundbreaking measures to advance the content industry," and stated, "We will focus on co-growth between global platforms and content companies, expanding production support using domestic funds, and creating competitive creative conditions."

Regarding this, President Moon said, "Global platforms need to fulfill their responsibilities commensurate with their scale," and requested, "Please also look into the issue of reasonable network usage fees and fair contracts (such as standard contracts) between platforms and production companies."

President Moon also recalled recent research findings reporting that the effectiveness of the Janssen vaccine sharply decreases compared to other vaccines after vaccination, and instructed, "Please promptly establish and implement a plan for additional vaccinations for those who received the Janssen vaccine to prevent public anxiety."