An umbrella labor union said Wednesday it will launch a general strike in April in protest of the government's efforts to restructure the labor market in a "management-friendly way" and to scale back its employees' pension program and several other issues.
  

The Korea Confederation of Trade Unions said it will hold a nationwide strike on April 24 and smaller-scale strikes of its members divided into groups by issues, sectors and regions for the next six days. On May 1, KCTU members will assemble in Seoul for a large-scale May Day rally.
  

"The government should immediately stop its chaebol-friendly economic policy and policies feared to worsen the labor market and kill low-income earners," Han Sang-gyun, head of the KCTU, said during a news conference in Seoul to announce the strike plan.
  

The KCTU also demanded that the government improve public pension systems, stop any attempt to scale back its employees' pension program, raise workers' minimum wage to 10,000 won ($9.08) from the current 5,580 won, and ensure the basic rights of workers.
  

"Starting with the April general strike, we'll launch a pan-national struggle against the government unless President Park Geun-hye meets us with answers to those demands by the end of March," he said. (Yonhap)