Anchor: With the clock ticking towards a nationwide bus drivers' strike over the government-led 52-hour workweek system, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki held talks with the leaders of bus driver unions behind closed doors in a bid to resolve the issue.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: During an hour-long closed-door meeting with bus driver union leaders on Monday, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki reportedly vowed to consider the central government's role in strengthening the bus industry's public services.

The head of the Korea Automobile & Transport Workers' Federation(KATWF) told reporters after the meeting that Hong pledged to review the matter, while stressing any issue concerning the bus industry should be addressed by local governments.

This comes as unionized drivers across the country voted overwhelmingly to strike after their demands for compensation of reduced incomes and manpower increases were rejected by employers ahead of the mandatory 52-hour workweek that will take effect for the bus industry starting in July.

The bus companies, for their part, have asked local and central governments for fare increases and other financial support, saying that they cannot afford the increased labor costs under the shortened workweek system.

According to an independent study, under the 52-hour workweek system, those firms will need an additional three-thousand employees combined, costing an extra 300 billion won annually.

The finance minister reiterated the transport and labor ministers' statement on Sunday that local governments should look into increasing bus fares that may offer a "realistic" solution to the anticipated rise in labor costs.

Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee said the planned strike is not directly linked to the 52-hour workweek, considering most of the unions that filed for arbitration are based in regions that already receive local government support.

While unions gear up to launch a walkout on Wednesday if negotiations fall through, Labor Minister Lee Jae-kap plans to meet with heads of local labor agencies on Tuesday to try and prevent the strike and major public transportation chaos.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.