Members of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU) chant in support of unionized railway workers during a rally, Dec. 9. Yonhap
Korea Railroad (KORAIL) and its unionized workers resumed talks over wage increases on Tuesday, six days after the union launched a full-scale strike.
The union launched an indefinite strike last Thursday as the two sides failed to narrow differences over wages and other issues.
They decided to resume talks under the arbitration of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), after the head of the Korean Railway Workers' Union, Choi Myung-ho, met with opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Monday.
The union plans to hold separate talks with the finance ministry and the land and transport ministry, as wage increases and personnel shuffle of the railway operator require consent and approval from the government.
The ongoing walkout affected the operations of some high-speed KTX trains and regular train services across the country, with trains operating at a 75.9 percent rate compared to normal operations as of 9 a.m.
The operation rate for KTX trains stood at 77.9 percent, freight trains at 13.7 percent, and subway cars in the greater Seoul area at 81 percent. (Yonhap)
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