South Korean financial workers staged their first strike in 14 years on Wednesday to protest the government’s pressure on the local finance sector to cut welfare and restructure.

Clad in raincoats to weather the occasional drizzle, tens of thousands of workers at banks, bank-owned card companies and public companies sat down at Mokdong Sports Complex in western Seoul for the one-day strike.

“We have demanded that the government stop its pressure on financial workers,” said Kim Moon-ho, who heads the Korea Finance Industry Union.

“We will go on more strikes and even consider an indefinite strike if our demands are not met. We ask the government to take action in September,” said Kim.

Financial workers last week voted in favor of the strike with an overwhelming 91 percent of the union’s 100,000 members approving the move, reflecting disenchantment with the authorities’ handling of recent controversial issues. (Yonhap)