Opposition: "Daewoo Shipbuilding Incident, Government Response Wrong; Police Intervention Could Lead to 'Second Yongsan Tragedy'"

Opposition Warns of 'Second Yongsan Tragedy' if Law Enforcement Deployed
Government Response Is Not Appropriate

On the 13th, members of the Metal Workers' Union held a rally in front of the Industrial Bank of Korea in Yeouido, Seoul, demanding a wage increase for subcontracted workers at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] President Yoon Suk-yeol mentioned a strict response to the ship occupation protest by the labor union of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering subcontractors, while the opposition party, the Democratic Party of Korea, strongly criticized it, saying, "If public authority is deployed, it is a structure where a 'second Yongsan tragedy' is foreseeable."

Kim Sung-hwan, chairman of the Democratic Party's Policy Committee, said at a policy press briefing on the 19th, "There is a fundamental multi-layered subcontracting problem in the Korean shipbuilding industry, and it is not right for the government to respond so (harshly)." Kim added, "If public authority is deployed, it is a structure where a 'second Ssangyong incident' or 'second Yongsan tragedy' is feared."

He said, "There are various issues mixed in this problem. There are accumulated deficits, the Hyundai Heavy Industries merger, the primary-subcontractor issues, workers' interests, and many other problems, but ultimately, efforts should be made to resolve this through dialogue rather than by deploying public authority." Chairman Kim mentioned, "I will announce specific measures at the emergency committee meeting tomorrow."

Kim Seong-hwan, Chairman of the Policy Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 5th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

The Democratic Party plans to handle the agenda of forming a task force (TF) at the emergency committee meeting on the 20th. The TF is expected to be composed mainly of members participating in the party's Euljiro Committee.

Earlier, President Yoon, while heading to the Yongsan Presidential Office building on the same day, hinted at deploying public authority regarding the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering situation, saying, "Haven't the people and the government waited long enough?"

In response, Democratic Party floor leader Park Hong-geun told reporters, "The president is a position to mediate socially sharp conflicts of opinion and should regard the lives and safety of the people as the highest priority," and criticized, "Can this problem be solved by simply approaching it as if to mercilessly resolve it through the prior deployment of public authority?"