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Yoo Choe-an crams himself into a steel cage in an attempt to win a pay raise from a South Korean shipyard in June 2022. The sign reads: "We can't live like this." (Photo by Byeon Baek-seon, Korean Metal Workers Union)
Asia Insight

South Korea cage match: President Yoon vs. the unions

Nation's leader pushes for drastic shake-up of the nation's labor system

STEVEN BOROWIEC, Contributing writer | South Korea

GEOJE ISLAND, South Korea -- Yoo Choe-an crouched by a desk in an office conference room, demonstrating how he positioned his body over the month he confined himself inside a steel cage he built.

He contorted his legs as he explained how from June 21 to July 22 last year he carried out a hunger strike inside a makeshift enclosure barely higher than a typical tabletop. The cramped space was too small for him to comfortably stretch out his frame.

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