| Korea International Trade Association Executive Vice Chairman Jeong Marn-ki, center, speaks at an emergency press conference held due to the truckers' union strike at the Trade Tower in Seoul, Tuesday. From left, Korea Cement Association Vice Chairman Lee Chang-ki , Jeong, and Korea Iron & Steel Association Managing Director Heo Dae-young. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin |
By Kim Hyun-bin
Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and other business associations ― including cement, petroleum, oil, automobiles and steel ― urged the Cargo Truckers Solidarity Union, under the wing of the labor umbrella, Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), to stop its current strike, during an emergency press conference, Wednesday.
"The regularization of the safe freight rate is a system that is not compatible with the market economy and even has concerns about unconstitutionality. We hope you will immediately stop the strike," KITA Vice Chairman Jeong Marn-ki said during an emergency press conference held at the Trade Tower in Seoul, Wednesday.
Executives from seven business associations including Korea Petrochemical Industry Association, Korea Feed Association, Korea Petroleum Associations, and Korea Iron & Steel Association took part in the press conference.
The truckers union launched a nationwide strike last Thursday, the second of its kind in less than six months, urging the government to meet its demand to make minimum freight rates permanent to improve their working conditions.
Although the government issued an order to return to work for cement workers who refused to transport product because of their participation in the strike, it saw that it could adversely affect not only cement but also other industries such as automobiles, petroleum, petrochemicals and steel.
Jeong stressed the need to come up with a reasonable alternative, not a strike, and pointed out that the regularization of the safe freight rate system, as the Cargo Truckers Solidarity Union argued, is a response that does not fit with the market economy.
He pointed out that the effectiveness of the regularization of the safe freight rate system is low. After the implementation of the system, the number of vehicle accidents subject to the fare freight rate system increased by 8 percent while the freight fare increased by more than 28 percent.
"In conclusion, the government's intervention in the freight rate decision is not reasonable in various respects," said Jeong. "It should be abolished."
KITA's vice chairman emphasized that a transparent verification of the road system, drivers' driving habits and vehicle maintenance should also be shared.
"If various data recorded on the digital driving recorder, which is currently mandatory to be attached to large trucks, is shared with stakeholders including traffic authorities in real-time, it will contribute to accident prevention," Jeong said.
Jeong argued that it would be desirable to establish an information-sharing system rather than making the safe freight rate system permanent.
"I hope that the trucker union will immediately stop the strike for the regularization of the unreasonable safe fare system and come up with a plan that can be a 'win-win' for all shippers, borrowers and transport operators," the vice chairman added.
KITA is the representative organization of the shippers' council under the Shipping Act and serves as a window to resolve the logistical difficulties of member companies.