Cargo Solidarity Union Indefinite General Strike... Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport "All 12 National Ports Operating Normally"

Regarding the Abolition of the Safety Freight Rate Sunset System: "Ready to Engage in Dialogue with the Cargo Solidarity"

On the 7th, the Cargo Solidarity Union launched a general strike demanding the abolition of the sunset clause on safe freight rates and an increase in transportation fees due to high oil prices, at the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that all 12 ports nationwide are operating normally despite the full strike by the Cargo Solidarity, and the container storage rates at each port are similar to normal levels.

According to the Ministry on the 7th, the Cargo Solidarity held collective transport refusal send-off ceremonies by branch at 12 locations nationwide including Busan, Incheon, and Gyeongnam at 10 a.m. that day. Approximately 8,200 people participated in the send-off ceremonies, according to the Ministry's estimate. In the afternoon, rallies will be held in Chungnam and Jeju.

Earlier, the Cargo Solidarity Headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Public Transport Workers' Union began an indefinite full strike as scheduled from 0:00 on the 7th.

The Cargo Solidarity stated that “considering the impact on the national economy, we kept all channels of dialogue with the government open until the full strike and made efforts to negotiate, but the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has not made any requests for dialogue or active contact since the first negotiation on the 2nd of this month,” and thus decided to proceed with the strike.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport forecasted that there would be no nationwide logistics damage due to the full strike for the time being, considering that major cargo owners and transport companies took pre-transport measures before the strike and the current situation at major logistics hubs such as ports.

As of 10 a.m. that day, the Ministry reported that all 12 ports nationwide were operating normally, and the container storage rate per port (68.1%) was similar to the usual rate (65.8%). The storage rate refers to the ratio of containers actually stored compared to the port's container storage capacity.

The Ministry’s Central Transport Countermeasures Headquarters is continuously monitoring logistics transport status and Cargo Solidarity trends, and through regional emergency transport committees, plans to deploy government-commissioned vehicles and other official container transport vehicles to major logistics hubs such as Busan Port and Incheon Port. Police forces will be deployed at major logistics hubs to prevent transport obstruction acts or physical conflicts.

The Ministry reiterated its previous stance that it will strictly respond according to law and principles in cooperation with the police to any transport obstruction acts involving normally operating vehicles, which are not simple assemblies, during this large-scale strike. It also stated that it is ready to actively engage in dialogue with the Cargo Solidarity regarding their demands, including the abolition of the sunset clause on the Safe Freight Rate System.

During the full strike period, the Ministry will exempt toll fees for substitute transport freight vehicles on highways and temporarily permit paid transport by private freight vehicles. Additionally, vehicles damaged during transport operations amid the strike will be compensated through the city/county/district 'Transport Obstruction Damage Compensation Review Committee.' However, vehicles with their own vehicle damage insurance or own vehicle damage mutual aid are excluded.