During an emergency meeting today, President Yoon is said to have said that his cabinet should “exploit every opportunity” to avoid any form of inconvenience to companies and the population.
“Oil, steel and other sectors that could be severely affected by the strikes must be ready for an order that puts truck drivers back to work,” the government statement read. “The economy is being held hostage by striking motorists.”
‘state of siege’
This is not the first time the cabinet has issued such an order against truck drivers. As for drivers in the oil and steel sector, a decree was issued last Tuesday ordering the return to work of striking cement drivers. A move that could not count on the support of the motorists’ union, which spoke of a ‘state of siege’.
It was also the first time the South Korean government had taken such drastic measures against striking drivers since it was given the opportunity in 2004.
Effect
However, it worked, as the numbers show. Cement transport would be back at 80 percent of normal capacity and cargo traffic around South Korean ports would be around 70 percent again, the finance ministry said.
Damages in other sectors, however, are still on the rise. More than $2.3 billion worth of oil, steel, petrochemicals and goods in other sectors still cannot be transported. For example, more than 60 percent of South Korea’s 1,300 building plots are experiencing disruption and are unable to complete construction projects. Furthermore, there is an inviting shortage of fuel, because gas stations are no longer stocked.