After Temporary Cabinet Meeting Approves Work Commencement Order, Immediate Approval... Yoon Emphasizes 'Law and Principle' and Urges Return
[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] President Yoon Seok-yeol approved an additional work commencement order on the 8th, just nine days after issuing the government's first-ever work commencement order. This decision was based on the results of a situation assessment meeting held by relevant ministers, but it was also President Yoon's final decision after personally monitoring the damage situation in real time over the past nine days. It is reported that President Yoon once again emphasized his stance to respond according to law and principles.
According to the Presidential Office, President Yoon immediately approved the additional work commencement order for the steel and petrochemical sectors after the provisional Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in the morning, where the order was passed. A Presidential Office official explained, "Although the momentum of the strike seems to have weakened as those who refused to work after the first (work commencement order) returned to their duties, the Presidential Office and the government have determined that damage in these sectors (steel and petrochemical) continues to be reported and there are concerning points."
President Yoon's final decision on the additional work commencement order came nine days after issuing the first order in the cement sector on the 29th of last month. It is known that during the past nine days, President Yoon received reports on the strike situation and industrial damage even during external schedules and personally reviewed countermeasures. The Presidential Office explained that he was particularly concerned about the ongoing damage in the steel and petrochemical industries affecting the public. The refining sector, which was considered as a target for the additional order, was excluded this time. One of the issues President Yoon personally monitored was that the number of gas stations running out of gasoline has slightly decreased over the past few days, indicating that the situation is not worsening further.
Last weekend, President Yoon already summoned relevant ministers and instructed them to "be prepared to immediately issue work commencement orders for industries where additional damage is anticipated." Along with criticism that "the Cargo Solidarity Union is currently holding the entire economy hostage by depriving others of their freedom for their own benefit," he reiterated the government's stance that "it will not compromise under any circumstances with forces that systematically engage in illegal and violent acts, and will hold them fully accountable according to law and principles."
He also issued a message urging a return to work. In meetings with his aides, a conciliatory atmosphere was created with remarks to the effect of, "Shouldn't we provide some space within the legal framework to give cargo transport workers a sense of stability regarding their return to work?" Some transport workers in certain sectors have withdrawn their strikes and returned to the field, so while preparing legal sanctions against illegal acts, the government is also opening a path for individual transport workers considering returning to work.
The Presidential Office stated that it will maintain a consistent stance toward the steel and petrochemical sectors, where the additional order was issued. This means urging a return to work while judging illegal acts and the treatment of general returnees according to law and principles. President Yoon's approval rating, which recently approached 40%, also influenced this. Inside the Presidential Office, the president's and government's principle of rule of law is interpreted as receiving public support. This current support is expected to serve as a foundation for next year's national agenda implementation. For now, the plan is to carefully monitor additional industrial damage caused by the strike in sectors including cement, refining, steel, and petrochemical, together with relevant ministries.
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