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After firing four thousand striking workers on Monday... Korea's rail operator today...
let go of FIFTEEN-HUNDRED additional railway workers... for continuing a strike over a
suspected privatization plan. And despite the battle put up by its union...
KORAIL nonetheless approved the controversial move to establish a new affiliate.
Sohn Jung-in reports on the latest. The conflict between the nation's railway corporation and
its labor union is not expected to subside anytime soon... with the management's decision
Tuesday evening to dismiss an additional 15-hundred railway union workers from their posts, following
a removal of more than 4-thousand on Monday. A total of 5-thousand 9-hundred-41 union workers
are now out of work for going on strike to stand against what they believe is a move
to privatize KORAIL.
Members of Korea Railway's board meeting have approved the set-up of a subsidiary firm to
operate KTX trains connecting southern Seoul to the central and southern provinces of Chungcheong-do
and Jeolla-do by 2016. Union members of the train operator staged
protests outside the KORAIL building as the board meeting was being held.
In response to the strike, KORAIL has asked the police to investigate illegal labor actions
and the obstruction of working environments. Unionized workers say KORAIL's KTX plans could
result in mass layoffs and fare hikes, but the company denies the claim, saying the new
unit will be 41 percent and 59 percent owned by KORAIL and state-run investors, respectively,
and that private firms will never be allowed to buy stakes in it.
The government says the union's argument holds no ground and blamed the union workers for
escalating a labor dispute that has disrupted some train services.
However, public inconvenience is expected to worsen as the labor union for Seoul's subway
lines one through four has vowed to go on strike next Wednesday to join the rail workers.
Sohn Jung-in, Arirang News.