<Anchor>
Starting today (30th), the Seoul Transportation Corporation's labor union, which runs the Seoul subway, went on a general strike for the first time in six years.
Labor and management could not narrow their differences over the manpower restructuring plan.
We connect reporters out of Sindorim Station.
Reporter Deok-Hyun Kim, has the strike started?
<Reporter>
Yes, I am on the platform of Line 2 of Sindorim Station on the Seoul Subway.
After a while, passengers on their way to work will flock in earnest, but the Seoul Transportation Corporation's union went on strike about 30 minutes ago.
Negotiations between the labor union and the corporation, which began yesterday afternoon, were finally declared broken at around 10 p.m.
The management side proposed a negotiation plan to postpone the implementation of the manpower restructuring plan, which aims to reduce 1,539 workers by 2026, but the negotiations broke down when the union did not accept it.
The union plans to hold a general strike ceremony with 6,000 union members this morning and ask Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon to negotiate directly.
The corporation announced that it would place additional safety management personnel at stations where there are many passengers.
<Anchor>
Are there any disruptions to subway operation?
<Reporter>
Yes, right now, it seems that there will be no big setbacks during rush hours.
However, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said that there will be inconveniences in the future.
This strike covers subway lines 1 through 8, and the city government plans to minimize operational disruptions by injecting 13,000 replacement workers, more than expected to participate in the strike.
In particular, it was announced that it would operate at the same level as usual from 7:00 am to 9:00 am, the rush hour.
However, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., the time of work, the operation rate drops to 85.7%, and disruptions are inevitable.