Ministry of Industry Holds Emergency 'Practical Preparation Meeting for Commencement Orders in the Refining Industry'
Gas Station 'Fuel Shortage' Concerns(Seongnam=Yonhap News) Reporter Hong Gi-won = On the afternoon of the 30th, the seventh day of the Cargo Solidarity general strike, tanker trucks participating in the strike were stopped on the road in front of the Seoul branch of Korea Oil Pipeline Corporation in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, while other tankers were coming and going. 2022.11.30
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[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Lee Jun-hyung] As the Cargo Solidarity strike enters its eighth day, the government has begun practical procedures to issue a work commencement order in the refining sector. The government stated its intention to mobilize all available means to minimize the damage caused by the Cargo Solidarity strike.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that Park Il-jun, the ministry’s second vice minister, held an emergency ‘Practical Preparation Meeting for Work Commencement Order in the Refining Industry’ on the afternoon of the 1st at the Korea Petroleum Association in Seoul with the four major refining companies and industry representatives. At the meeting, Vice Minister Park reviewed the legal requirements necessary to issue a work commencement order for tank lorries (fuel trucks) affiliated with the Cargo Solidarity. He also checked the current damage status in the refining industry due to the prolonged strike and discussed future response measures.
The ministry’s review of the legal requirements for issuing a work commencement order in the refining sector comes amid a situation where some gas stations are running out of gasoline and diesel due to the Cargo Solidarity strike. According to the ministry, as of 8 a.m. that day, the total number of sold-out gas stations nationwide was 33, an increase of 10 from the previous day (22 stations). Notably, while sold-out gas stations had been concentrated in the metropolitan area until the previous day, they expanded nationwide on this day, including 4 in Chungnam, 1 in Gangwon, and 1 in Jeonbuk.
Cargo Solidarity Protesting the Breakdown of the Second Negotiation (Sejong=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Juhyung = On the afternoon of the 30th, officials from the Cargo Solidarity Headquarters of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (hereinafter Cargo Solidarity), who are on a general strike demanding the abolition of the sunset clause on the Safe Freight Rate System, protested against Gu Heonsang, Director of Logistics Policy, as he left after the second negotiation held at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in the Government Sejong Complex ended in failure.
The government, stating it is to prevent a national economic crisis, issued a work commencement order to about 2,500 cement transport workers in response to the Cargo Solidarity strike the previous day. 2022.11.30
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In response, the ministry is operating an ‘Emergency Situation Room for the Refining Industry’ to monitor the inflow and outflow status at key bases such as refineries. The ministry also secured alternative transportation means, including 5 military tank lorries and 29 tank lorries from agricultural and fisheries cooperatives, which were urgently deployed to the field starting that day. Additionally, the ministry is in discussions with related ministries and agencies to secure more alternative transportation means.
At the meeting, Vice Minister Park urged the Cargo Solidarity to return to work. He said, “The government is taking the situation seriously where some gas stations are experiencing sold-out phenomena due to the Cargo Solidarity’s collective refusal to transport,” and added, “We urge the Cargo Solidarity to promptly resume work.” Vice Minister Park also stated, “We will consider all possible measures, including issuing a work commencement order in the refining sector, to minimize damage to the public.”
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