[Column] 'General Strike' by Minju No Chong, Becoming a Nuisance Union?

On the 20th, when the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) announced a large-scale general strike rally in 14 regions nationwide including Seoul, commuters near Gwanghwamun Intersection in Seoul were walking between police fences and vehicle barriers on their way to work. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

550,000 people. This is the number of union members expected to participate in the nationwide general strike organized by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) on the 20th. On this day, they will put down their work for the entire day. Although this is about half of the total 1.1 million union members and the actual number of participants is expected to fall short of 500,000, work disruptions are anticipated across both public and private sectors.

The government has expressed strong concerns, similar to those during the nationwide workers' rally held by the KCTU in July. Jeon Hae-cheol, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, stated on the 20th that the KCTU’s general strike threatens the quarantine situation, saying, "The KCTU’s nationwide general strike announcement threatens the quarantine situation, which has been steadily stabilizing with difficulty, and could shatter expectations for a return to normal life." He added, "We urge the KCTU to withdraw their general strike plan in consideration of the quarantine efforts made so far."

However, the KCTU has condemned the government’s response as a 'corona martial law.' They have sharpened their criticism toward the Moon Jae-in administration, which is in its final term and has not realized the labor agenda they advocate. They claim that the Moon administration, which started as a 'candlelight government,' has turned its back on them.

So, what is the reality of our society that the KCTU is ignoring? The industrial and labor sectors are still struggling due to the contraction caused by COVID-19. Businesses with fewer than five employees, where the KCTU is calling for the elimination of discrimination, are facing existential crises or have already closed down in large numbers. News of self-employed individuals driven to illegal private loans due to inability to secure loans from primary and secondary financial institutions and resorting to extreme measures emerges almost daily.

With the vaccination rate approaching 70%, the anticipated shift to a 'With Corona' quarantine policy offers some hope. In this situation, it is expected that a large-scale rally will be held with 25,000 to 30,000 people in downtown Seoul alone and about 80,000 nationwide. Is this general strike persuasive?

What allowed our society to endure the hardships caused by COVID-19 was that the medical community, industry, frontline workers, and self-employed all shared the burden. What the KCTU should be focusing on is not the presidential election in March next year, but the citizens and workers who are suffering in their daily lives today and tomorrow.