A file picture shows a street rally by construction union members in central Seoul.[Namgung Jin-ung = timeid@ajunews.com]
President Moon Jae-in faces his first real challenge in less than two months after he assumed office with widespread support from liberal groups led by South Korea's two umbrella labor groups.
Labor unions portrayed themselves as crucial contributors to Moon's election victory on May 9 and want early government payback, rebuffing the liberal leader's courteous demand to give time.
As a gift to workers, Moon took crucial pro-union steps to abolish a performance-based incentive wage system which was pushed by his conservative predecessor to introduce labor market flexibility in the public sector.
Ex-president Park Geun-hye urged many public entities and state-run financial companies to introduce the incentive wage system based on performance, citing their easy-going attitude and complacency.
The militant Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) was far from being satisfied, threatening a general strike on June 30 to press their demands for speedy labor reforms, put temporary or contract workers on the permanent payroll, cut working hours and raise the ceiling of minimum wages.
For economic justice, Moon made an election pledge to gradually raise the hourly minimum wage to 10,000 won by 2020. At talks on Friday, a presidential committee urged the umbrella labor group to cancel the planned strike and wait for government measures, while unions wanted quick steps.
Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
