Constant conflicts between Korea University (KU) and its workers union on the wage agreements broiled over when the Korean University Worker's Korea College Union held a press conference in open protest against the school on March 23. Participants took a stand in front of the KU Main Hall, where they took questions and made remarks on their current struggle against the KU administration.

The situation seems to have originated from major disagreements during the 13 meetings that were held to negotiate worker treatment between the KU administration and its respective worker’s union. While the worker’s union had constantly requested various adjustments and changes to their work contracts, the KU administration leaned towards focusing on the effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the school’s fiscal situation. According to the press conference, the KU administration subsequently ignored all contract modification requests from the worker’s union.

The Joint Struggle Committee lamented that “The KU administration has consistently shown an insincere attitude towards negotiations, being unwilling to accept even the most basic of requests.” The Committee further expressed their outrage on how most of KU’s non-regular workers were paid around twenty-two million won, a number that barely scrapes over the legal minimum wage.

“As long as the administration ignores the workers union’s requests, we shall have no choice but to declare external protests,” noted the Committee, hinting at a long road towards a solution to the current dilemma.