KGEU Will Face Reprimand and Criminal Punishment in Case of General Strike

The government has decided to both reprimand and punish criminally all public servants who participate in a general strike of the Korean Government Employees’ Union (KGEU), which is scheduled for November 15.

While the government strives to prevent a yes-or-no vote on the general strike of KGEU itself before the strike happens, it will also place disadvantages on regional governments that respond passively to the strike, such as the suspension of supporting shared tax and exclusion from the government-led projects.

Minister of Justice Kim Seung-kyu and Minister of Government Administration and Home Affairs Huh Sung-kwan issued a statement on Thursday at the Government Complex Building in Sejong-ro, Jongro-gu, Seoul.

“Collective action by civil servants, including the vote on a general strike, is a criminal act under the Civil Service Act,” said the statement. “Public servants who lead the movement will be removed from their post, and all the participating public servants will face a strict reprimand, as well as criminal punishment.”

Choi Ki-mun, chief of the Korean National Police Agency, had a meeting with regional police chiefs on Thursday. He ordered the arrest of core members of KGEU before the vote; complete prevention of the vote upon the request of related agencies and regional governments; and the arrest of all of the public servants participating in the illegal strike.

Opposing the government’s decision not to include collective action clause in a civil servant labor union bill, the KGEU is planning to have the vote on the general strike on November 9 and 10, and hold a massive demonstration on November 14 before going on strike for an indefinite period from November 15.

Hyun-Doo Lee ruchi@donga.com needjung@donga.com