I would add to Gary D's response by saying that Kim D.J. really would not hesitate to use force to crush the strike if he thought it would work. Kim, the current president, has never been a fan of organized labor. He is in fact a strong supporter of free-market economics. He takes a rather libertarian view in his book on the South Korean economy. But under the current conditions he is worried about whether an assault can work as in the past which is to say keep labor weak and on the defensive. He is no doubt worried and correctly so that an attack on the Hyundai workers will trigger a general strike. This would further drive the economy into depression and put off foreign investors. I would say that Kim was hoping to somehow threaten and get what he wanted. He failed in the ploy. Now he has to weigh the risks on either side, risks from his perspective. They are to do nothing which will strengthen labor which has a downside for him and the chaebol given their (collective) vision for Korea or intervene to demonstrate who is in charge and risk chaos. I do not think we have seen the end of the standoff. Kim could easily change his mind under chaebol and IMF pressure to resolve the situation. Marty Hart-Landsberg
