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Korean Railway Workers' Union to begin strike on Dec. 11 if wage demands aren't met

Published: 02 Dec. 2025, 11:12 Updated: 03 Dec. 2025, 14:11

KIM JU-YEON
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Kang Cheol, head of the Korean Railway Workers’ Union, and union members chant slogans during a press conference in front of Seoul Station in central Seoul on Dec. 2, during the announcing of a planned general strike. [NEWS1]

Korea’s rail network could face major disruption next week after the railway union warned Tuesday that it will begin an indefinite strike on Dec. 11 if management rejects its demands over pay and bonuses.

The Korean Railway Workers’ Union announced the plan at a press briefing in front of Seoul Station in central Seoul, calling on management to accept its core wage conditions, including the restoration of performance-based bonuses.

Union chief Kang Cheol said the leadership has no options left if the company continues to ignore its demands.

“If they dismiss even our final request, we are left with only one choice,” Kang said. “We will start an indefinite general strike from 9 a.m. on Dec. 11 that will halt train operations nationwide.”

Meanwhile, unionized workers at Seoul Metro, which operates subway lines No. 1 through 8, began a work-to-rule protest starting Monday over pay issues.

A work-to-rule protest is when workers strictly follow all safety rules and only do the exact tasks in their job descriptions, which typically slows operations without stopping them. This can include opening and closing doors slowly, lingering on platforms longer than usual and avoiding any speeding up to stay on schedule.

Some unions at Seoul Metro warned they would go on a full strike beginning Dec. 12 unless the company and the Seoul Metropolitan Government meet their demands over wage increases, restructuring and the number of new hires.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHO MUN-GYU, KIM JU-YEON [[email protected]]