Presidential Office on Cargo Solidarity Transport Refusal: "Considering Work Commencement Order... Difficult to Specify Timing"

Presidential Office "Proposed forming Safety Fare TF but deeply regrets resumption of collective transport refusal"
Official hopes Itaewon disaster inquiry "becomes a fact-finding forum, not a political battle"
On resuming doorstepping, "more time for consideration needed"

On the 16th, one day before President Yoon Seok-yeol's 100th day in office, the Presidential Office building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul is shown. President Yoon, emphasizing the elimination of authoritarianism, moved the stage of state affairs from the former Blue House to Yongsan. With the president's office relocated to Yongsan, the Blue House was fully opened to the public. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 25th, the Presidential Office reaffirmed President Yoon Suk-yeol's 'principled response stance' regarding the general strike by the Cargo Solidarity Headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Public Transport Workers' Union (Cargo Solidarity).

Deputy Spokesperson Lee Jae-myung of the Presidential Office conveyed this warning message from President Yoon during a briefing held at the Yongsan Presidential Office building that afternoon.

President Yoon posted on his Facebook the previous day, stating, "While the people, companies, and government are united and focused on overcoming the crisis, the Cargo Solidarity has begun an indefinite collective transport refusal," and warned, "All illegal actions such as regional transport refusals and transport obstruction will be strictly dealt with according to law and principles."

The Presidential Office clearly stated its intention to consider legal measures, including a work commencement order to forcibly return the Cargo Solidarity to business, accusing them of holding the logistics system hostage during a national crisis.

Deputy Spokesperson Lee also addressed the Cargo Solidarity's demands to abolish the sunset clause of the Safe Freight Rate System and expand the items covered, saying, "When the Cargo Solidarity withdrew their collective transport refusal last June, the agreement with the government was to continue pursuing the extension of the Safe Freight Rate System's sunset clause and to continue discussions on item expansion," adding, "The extension of the sunset clause has already been announced to be pursued, and item expansion is a matter that can be discussed after the extension of the sunset clause," effectively rejecting the Cargo Solidarity's demands.

He further criticized, "To this end, the government proposed the formation of a Safe Freight Task Force to the Cargo Solidarity, but they did not respond and instead resumed collective transport refusal, which is very regrettable."

Regarding criticisms that the government had been inactive since the June agreement, Deputy Spokesperson Lee rebutted, "That is not true. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has been in continuous communication with the Cargo Solidarity," and added, "We requested a meeting with the Cargo Solidarity to amicably resolve the collective transport refusal situation." On the issuance of the work commencement order, he stated, "It is an emergency measure to prevent the collapse of South Korea's economy," and informed that "thorough preparations are underway, including confirming damages in each industrial sector."

However, Deputy Spokesperson Lee added, "It is difficult to specify the timing. Various reviews are ongoing at the working level." This suggests that while the issuance of the work commencement order is inevitable if the transport refusal continues, the timing is not specified to encourage the Cargo Solidarity to voluntarily withdraw the strike. Although the Presidential Office did not specify the timing of the work commencement order, political circles expect President Yoon to issue it on the 29th after the Cabinet meeting next week.

Regarding the National Assembly's agreement on the Itaewon disaster parliamentary investigation, a Presidential Office official told reporters, "The parliamentary investigation is a matter agreed upon by the ruling and opposition parties, so the Presidential Office has no position," but added, "We hope it will be a forum that clearly uncovers all the facts as the bereaved families wish, rather than a political conflict."

Since the parliamentary investigation passed the National Assembly by bipartisan agreement, no specific stance was disclosed, but the statement is interpreted as containing an unpleasant nuance amid ongoing investigations.

Regarding the opposition's demand for the dismissal of Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, the official said, "What is most necessary to resolve the bereaved families' grievances and ensure proper legal compensation is a fact-finding investigation without any suspicion," and added, "The policy remains unchanged to clearly distinguish the responsible parties and scope of responsibility and hold them accountable accordingly."

Concerning the temporary suspension of President Yoon's doorstepping (brief Q&A on the way to work), the official said, "Doorstepping was a valuable communication channel between the President and the media," and added, "Our role is to find a developmental direction so that more meaningful communication can occur between the President and the media, and broadly between the President and the people."

He continued, "In that regard, we are broadly gathering opinions," and said, "We are not currently considering anything specific. More time for reflection is still needed."