Labor unions at the Busan, Incheon, Ulsan and Yeosu-Gwangyang port authorities hold joint rally

Government's 'merge first, verify later' public institution reform plan draws fire; unions warn of threat to regional autonomy and expertise

About 400 union members from the four national port authorities — Busan, Incheon, Ulsan and Yeosu-Gwangyang — hold a joint rally Monday on the east side of Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae in Seoul. [Provided by Incheon Port Authority union]
About 400 union members from the four national port authorities — Busan, Incheon, Ulsan and Yeosu-Gwangyang — hold a joint rally Monday on the east side of Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae in Seoul. [Provided by Incheon Port Authority union]

Opposition from port workers and local communities to the government's plan to merge all four of the country's port authorities into a single entity has escalated into an all-out fight.

Labor unions at the Busan, Incheon, Ulsan and Yeosu-Gwangyang port authorities gathered about 400 members Monday on the east side of Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae in Seoul for a joint rally, demanding the government immediately scrap its forced merger policy.

The rally was organized to deliver a clear message of opposition from port workers against the merger plan included in the government's public institution functional reform initiative announced Sept. 3, and to call for a halt to what the unions described as a rushed process and a full reopening of discussions.

The four port authority unions, in a joint resolution, criticized the government's merger push as going "far beyond a simple reorganization of public institutions," calling it "a fatal step backward that fundamentally undermines the region-centered port management system built over the past two decades to suit the unique characteristics of each area."

They also challenged the policy's rationale, characterizing the merger attempt as "not reform but regression."

The unions identified four key problems: a blanket merger that ignores the distinct functions and roles of each port; a hasty "merge first, verify later" approach without sufficient review; a failure to gather input from local communities, academics and industry stakeholders; and an attempt at centralization that runs counter to decentralization.

Those at the scene warned that "while the sea may be one, the economic and geographic value and expertise of each port are clearly different," adding that "if the autonomy and independence of regional ports are not guaranteed, it could lead to a decline in global port competitiveness."

The union coalition urged the government to stop pressing ahead with a plan that "lacks both justification and practical benefit" and to listen to the urgent voices from the field. "The government must shift to a policy that local communities and the port industry can accept, and turn the peak disappointment and anger on the ground into common ground," the unions said.

Meanwhile, the union coalition said it plans to escalate its campaign in alliance with local civic groups and industry associations if the government does not respond to calls for a policy shift or dialogue.


gilbert@heraldcorp.com