People

South Korea, November 2026 – The Korean Railway Workers' Union has voted in favour of industrial action after negotiations with Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) failed to produce an agreement. The union announced on 5 November that 77.58% of participating members supported the action, authorising further industrial measures and a potential general strike in December if negotiations remain unresolved.

A total of 21,634 members participated in the ballot, representing 87.6% of the union's 24,691 registered members. Of those who voted, 16,783 supported industrial action, equivalent to approximately 67.97% of the union's total membership. The vote followed the breakdown of the third round of formal negotiations on 14 October and the union's subsequent declaration of an industrial dispute the following day.

The union's main demands include reforming the employee promotion system and recruiting additional railway safety personnel. It argues that promotion opportunities are disproportionately concentrated among headquarters employees and management, leaving frontline workers with fewer advancement opportunities. The union has also raised concerns about staffing shortages across railway operations, arguing that government restrictions on workforce numbers have prevented KORAIL from addressing safety-related recruitment requirements.

The potential strike carries additional operational implications following the September 2026 merger of KORAIL and SR, which brought their KTX and SRT high-speed rail services under an integrated operating structure. KORAIL has stated that it is continuing negotiations while preparing contingency arrangements involving replacement workers. The operator aims to maintain approximately 75% of normal train services during a strike, compared with the 66.8% operating rate recorded during the 2024 industrial action.

The dispute highlights the relationship between workforce management, railway safety and service continuity as South Korea restructures its national railway operations. The outcome of further negotiations will determine whether industrial action proceeds in December, while the operator's contingency planning underscores the importance of maintaining essential railway services during periods of labour disruption.

Source: Seoul Economic Daily