Mid-sized shipbuilder STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co. called Wednesday on its unionized workers to stop their general strike. 

The shipbuilder's unionized workers went on general strike starting on June 1, calling for a stop to six-month unpaid furloughs, which half of about 500 unionized workers have taken in rotation since June 2018. 

Due to the strike, operations at the company's shipyard in Jinhae, 410 kilometers southeast of Seoul, are being suspended from June 17 till July 16. 

"Some buyers are contacting other shipbuilders to discuss reaching a new deal to build ships, expressing their woes over the recent walkout," STX Offshore said in its in-house newsletter.

Even after its ongoing voluntary retirement program is completed by July 13, remaining workers have to reduce fixed costs and minimize the company's losses, the shipbuilder said. (Yonhap)