Industry minister urges labor-management cooperation amid Mideast crisis

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan on Monday called for cooperation between labor and management, stressing that the Korean economy is facing strong headwinds due to the persisting turmoil in the Middle East. Kim made the call in a meeting with Kim Dong-myeong, head of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), one of the biggest umbrella labor unions here. It marked the first time since 2006 an industry minister and an FKTU leader held a meeting. "Our economy and the overall industry are facing a significant crisis as the conflict in the Middle East is continuing, and to overcome these difficult times, labor and management should focus their capacity on tackling the crisis and refrain from unnecessary conflict," Kim said. "I also ask the labor sector to participate in the country's energy-saving efforts for stable energy supplies," he added. Last week, the government asked the private sector to voluntarily participate in a five-day vehicle rotation program and temporarily adjust working hours to help even out traffic demand for effective energy consumption amid oil supply disruptions spa

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