Yoon's First Ever Work Commencement Order... Ruling Party "Rule of Law" Opposition "High Unconstitutionality"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On the 29th, President Yoon Seok-yeol issued the first-ever work commencement order through a Cabinet meeting. While the ruling party defended it as "rule of law to reduce harm to the people," the opposition criticized it as "highly unconstitutional."

Yang Geum-hee, the chief spokesperson of the People Power Party, stated in a commentary that "It is not the government's role to allow the country's economy to collapse due to illegal strikes and to neglect the suffering and anxiety of the people," adding, "The work commencement order against the illegal strike by the Cargo Solidarity is a rule of law measure to reduce harm to the people and an 'illegal termination order' against the plundering of the Republic of Korea's economy."

She pointed out, "At major port terminals where logistics shipments have been blocked, container walls have been built, and ready-mixed concrete pouring has been halted at 508 construction sites, which accounts for half of the nationwide construction sites," adding, "It is no exaggeration to say that the Republic of Korea's industry has come to a halt due to the illegal strike by the Cargo Solidarity of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions."

She also said, "Thanks to past left-wing governments that were preoccupied with watching the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the Republic of Korea has become a country of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions," and added, "The Democratic Party of Korea, which cries out for people's livelihood every day while accusing the ruling party of oppression, ignores the harm to ordinary citizens caused by the illegal strike of the Cargo Solidarity," blaming the opposition for the strike.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the other hand, Ahn Ho-young, the chief spokesperson of the Democratic Party, said, "Although it outwardly claims to uphold the rule of law, it is forcing unilateral sacrifice on cargo workers using legal punishment as a weapon," urging, "Withdraw the highly unconstitutional work commencement order and sincerely engage in dialogue and negotiations."

Spokesperson Ahn raised his voice, saying, "The government's work commencement order shows no concern or willingness to improve the poor working conditions such as low freight rates and safety accidents caused by overloading and overwork," adding, "It can only be seen that the government had no intention of negotiating with the Cargo Solidarity from the beginning."

He said, "The work commencement order has ambiguous content and procedures and a high degree of unconstitutionality, and it has never been issued even once since its introduction in 2004," adding, "President Yoon Seok-yeol should stop his arbitrary and autocratic governance."