South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor. (Yonhap)
South Korea’s Labor Ministry said Tuesday it views the casualties at a Cargo Truckers Solidarity rally as an issue that goes beyond disputes tied to the so-called Yellow Envelope Law, which revises Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act.
In an explanatory note responding to reports linking the incident to the law, the ministry said it “expresses very deep regret” over the injuries and death. It said the case “goes beyond” questions of prime contractor-subcontractor bargaining under the revised Article 2, which centers on “practical and specific control.”
The ministry said the root problem was the lack of a structure allowing people in relatively vulnerable positions — including small business owners and individual proprietors — to unite and seek dialogue. It added it was unfortunate the conflict was not resolved through talks and instead worsened.
The ministry said it will work with relevant agencies to find ways for small merchants and self-employed people to communicate with stakeholders to protect their rights. The statement was widely read as signaling a push for a separate communication channel rather than applying the Yellow Envelope Law by treating Cargo Truckers Solidarity members as small business owners or individual proprietors.
The incident occurred about 10:32 a.m. Monday at a Cargo Truckers Solidarity rally in front of a CU logistics center in Jinju, South Gyeongsang province. A 2.5-ton delivery truck collided with members of the CU branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ Public Transport Workers’ Union convenience store division, killing one person and seriously or moderately injuring two others.
Cargo Truckers Solidarity has urged BGF Retail, the prime contractor, to join joint bargaining as an employer, arguing it effectively determines working conditions. BGF has said it has no direct duty to bargain because CU logistics operate under a multilayer contract structure running from BGF Logis to logistics centers, transport firms and drivers.
The government has maintained that direct mediation is difficult because Cargo Truckers Solidarity is not an officially recognized union but an outside group formed by individual business operators.
In an explanatory note responding to reports linking the incident to the law, the ministry said it “expresses very deep regret” over the injuries and death. It said the case “goes beyond” questions of prime contractor-subcontractor bargaining under the revised Article 2, which centers on “practical and specific control.”
The ministry said the root problem was the lack of a structure allowing people in relatively vulnerable positions — including small business owners and individual proprietors — to unite and seek dialogue. It added it was unfortunate the conflict was not resolved through talks and instead worsened.
The ministry said it will work with relevant agencies to find ways for small merchants and self-employed people to communicate with stakeholders to protect their rights. The statement was widely read as signaling a push for a separate communication channel rather than applying the Yellow Envelope Law by treating Cargo Truckers Solidarity members as small business owners or individual proprietors.
The incident occurred about 10:32 a.m. Monday at a Cargo Truckers Solidarity rally in front of a CU logistics center in Jinju, South Gyeongsang province. A 2.5-ton delivery truck collided with members of the CU branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ Public Transport Workers’ Union convenience store division, killing one person and seriously or moderately injuring two others.
Cargo Truckers Solidarity has urged BGF Retail, the prime contractor, to join joint bargaining as an employer, arguing it effectively determines working conditions. BGF has said it has no direct duty to bargain because CU logistics operate under a multilayer contract structure running from BGF Logis to logistics centers, transport firms and drivers.
The government has maintained that direct mediation is difficult because Cargo Truckers Solidarity is not an officially recognized union but an outside group formed by individual business operators.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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