YOON SET TO EXPAND RETURN-TO-WORK ORDER

[Anchor Lead]

With truckers' delivery refusals continuing on amid their strike, President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered preparations for issuing return-to-work orders for striking truckers in refinery and steel industries. He also denounced Tuesday's planned walkout by the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions as 'political', reaffirming his tough stance.

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President Yoon Suk-yeol chaired a meeting with related ministers five days after issuing an order for striking cement truckers to return to work. He reaffirmed his tough stance, saying the striking truckers' delivery refusals as well as threats to disrupt services by non-striking truckers are all criminal acts.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(President) : "I ask you to mobilize all administrative powers to track down and handle these illegal acts quickly and sternly."

The president ordered officials to expand the return-to-work order immediately, expressing concerns the prolonged strike could cause more damage to the oil refining, steel and petrochemical sectors. The government estimates product deliveries worth three trillion won have been disrupted in these industries. Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho said he is watching the situation, calculating the timing to issue a return-to-work order.

[Soundbite] Choo Kyung-ho(Deputy Prime Minister for Economy) : "Through close monitoring, we will immediately launch procedures to issue return-to-work orders if the national economy is deemed at risk."

The president also blasted the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. He ordered preparations to deal with a general strike planned by the umbrella labor union, denouncing the planned walkout as political. The People Power Party welcomed the government's tough stance. The ruling party said it is necessary to end illegal and violent strikes even if it means issuing more return-to-work orders. But the Democratic Party repeatedly criticized the government's hard-line approach. The main opposition said state agencies are suppressing laborers, adding the governmental is wielding power without negotiations.