[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Ki-hyun, a member of the ruling People Power Party and one of the candidates for party leadership, criticized the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' (KCTU) "general strike declaration," calling it "a representative bad practice fostered during the five years of the previous Democratic Party administration."
On the 23rd, Kim said through his social network service (SNS), "The KCTU, which has arrogated itself above the law and engaged in privileges and unfair practices, has become even more entrenched under the protection of the Democratic Party government."
Kim stated, "a strike tsunami is rushing in with the momentum to bring this country's economy to a halt," adding, "In a situation where we are already sinking into a complex economic crisis, it is like adding insult to injury for the Korean economy to be heading toward a series of strikes instead of focusing all efforts on economic recovery."
He then claimed that the previous administration encouraged the series of strikes. He said, "the Moon Jae-in administration was always 'like crayfish siding with the crab' rather than firmly dealing with the KCTU's illegal strikes according to law and principles," raising his voice, "Instead, the police acted as a protective cane for the KCTU while wielding a baton of oppression against the public."
Kim said, "Things must change now. We must eradicate the KCTU's abuse of power over the public through resolute responses," adding, "If public authority operates according to principles against the radical illegal struggles of the militant aristocratic unions prevalent in industrial sites, half of labor reform will be achieved."
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