World IN BRIEF : SOUTH KOREA : Hyundai Rejects Offer by Strikers

South Korea’s Hyundai car company rejected an offer by striking workers to end their occupation of the country’s largest auto plant, but talks went on in the 5-day-old standoff. The government has pledged to use force to oust the 5,000 Hyundai Motor Co. workers from the plant in the industrial port city of Ulsan as part of its vow to crack down on illegal labor activities. The Hyundai dispute began Dec. 17, when the union demanded special bonuses equal to 150% of the workers’ $1,600 average monthly salaries. Hyundai workers earn more than workers at smaller South Korean companies.