UPDATE 1-Major South Korea labour group says to strike
SEOUL, June 17 (Reuters) - A major South Korean labour group on Tuesday announced a one-day strike for next month in protest against President Lee Myung-bak's economic reform plans, adding pressure on the embattled leader facing calls for his ouster.
The move by the more than 600,000-strong, militant Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, which represents auto, healthcare and financial service workers, comes as Lee is trying to resolve a truckers' strike over soaring fuel costs that has paralysed the export-dependent country's ports.
"We will be going on a full-out strike for one day on July 2," a KCTU spokesman said by telephone. "Following that, individual member unions will be holding separate strikes."
About 70 percent of its members voted to strike against Lee's privatisation plans, pro-business economic reforms and the deal his government signed to resume imports of U.S. beef, the group said in a statement.
The labour union at Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS), which is one of the largest single unions making up KCTU, said it would join the KCTU strike.
Repeated talks between the government and striking truckers have broken down, while movement of cargo containers virtually ground to a halt, clogging up ports.
Lee has faced more than a month of daily protests against his decision to allow imports of U.S. beef and the rallies have grown to criticise a wide range of his policies. (Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Jon Herskovitz)
