About 15-thousand unionized workers walked off the job at shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries Thursday in the company's first all-out strike in 23 years.

The eight-hour strike began at 8 a.m. local time to express opposition to a proposed split of the firm's nonshipbuilding businesses.

The union is also calling for a successful close to ongoing wage negotiations.

There have been partial strikes at Hyundai Heavy Industries in recent years, but workers haven't unanimously abandoned their jobs since 1995.