KCTU Cancels General Strike

The Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) announced Friday that it had cancelled its plan to begin a general strike scheduled for Friday afternoon to protest the lay off system finalized at tripartite negotiations. Dan Byong-ho, head of the emergency council of the militant umbrella organization, said the decision was made on account of national concerns that the strike would further deteriorate the country's economic situation. However, he indicated that there was no change in the KCTU's position in opposing the legislating of a lay-off system. The Supreme Prosecutor's Office had decided Thursday that if union members went on strike in disregard of the Tripartite Agreement, that it would use police to arrest the strike leadership.