Major Trade Unions Express Public Anger at Yoon Administration... Call for Change in Government Policy Direction

"The People's Will for Proper Government Leadership"

The two major labor unions evaluated the results of the April 10 general election, which ended in a crushing defeat for the ruling party, as "an expression of the people's anger toward the government."

On the 10th, the 22nd National Assembly election day, voters visiting the 7th polling station in Jayang 3-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, are verifying their identity to cast their votes.
[Photo by Kang Jin-hyung]

On the 11th, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) stated in a commentary, "In this election, which served as a midterm evaluation of President Yoon Seok-yeol's governance, the overwhelming support for the opposition parties confirms that the direction of the Yoon administration's governance over the past two years has been wrong."

They continued, "Since the beginning of the administration, the government has advocated for deregulation of working hours by pushing for a 69-hour workweek and, under the guise of labor reform, forced unions to submit their accounting books. Meanwhile, it repeatedly exercised veto power against amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act and the Nursing Act, which were meant to protect the vulnerable."

Furthermore, the FKTU said, "The results of this general election reflect the outburst of accumulated public anger over labor issues and other matters during the two years of the Yoon administration. The government and ruling party must now humbly accept the will of the people, stop the excessive use of veto power, communicate with the opposition, and lead the country accordingly."

Regarding the Democratic Party of Korea, they stated, "It must be clearly understood that the election results do not represent unconditional support for the Democratic Party. The overwhelming victory of the opposition is the people's mandate to properly check the government."

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) also criticized in a statement, "The fact that the ruling party has lost public support so drastically in just two years shows how much this administration has destroyed the lives of the people and how great the people's anger toward the government is."

The KCTU also demanded the cessation of attempts to expand the application of the Yellow Envelope Act (amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act), the Labor Standards Act, and media control efforts.

The KCTU asserted, "The government and the people's power must humbly accept the solemn judgment of the people. The entire cabinet, including the Minister of Employment and Labor who has led the oppression of workers, must resign, and the national policy direction must be completely revised."