South Korean financial workers strike against state bank relocation

Thousands of South Korean financial workers launched a general strike in central Seoul to oppose government plans to relocate state-run financial institutions outside the capital region.

The Korean Financial Industry Union held a rally in the Gwanghwamun district, drawing between 14,000 and 30,000 participants from 43 union branches. Involved groups include employees from the Korea Development Bank, Industrial Bank of Korea, and Export-Import Bank of Korea, alongside workers from commercial and regional banks.

Union leaders argue that moving these institutions from Seoul could trigger an exodus of specialized personnel, reduce the efficiency of policy financing, and weaken the economic benefits of concentrating financial expertise in a single hub. In addition to opposing relocation, protesters called for the introduction of a 4.5-day workweek and increases in real wages.