South Korean workers rally in support of truckers

STORY: The KCTU said about 5,000 workers, including the truckers, turned up to protest the government’s labor policy.

The nationwide strike by more than 20,000 truckers entered its 10th day on Saturday, disrupting the country's supply chain, even as the government prepares to order more of them back to work.

The truckers’ strike is estimated to have cost 1.6 trillion won ($1.23 billion) in lost shipments, the industry ministry said on Thursday (December 1).

The government has said it would not expand a minimum pay system for truckers beyond a further three years, which the union says should be permanent and wider in scope. Truckers who refuse to get back on the road after a "start work" order can be fined, jailed, or lose their licenses.