POSCO's labor union began a second 120-hour partial strike at 7 a.m. on the 16th after wage negotiations remained deadlocked, expanding its action to major hot-rolling mills in Pohang and Gwangyang. The union seeks a 7.1% base-pay increase, incentive payments equal to 600% of monthly wages, 50 employee stock-ownership shares and holiday bonuses equal to 200% of monthly wages. Management estimates the demands at about 1.4 trillion won, equivalent to roughly 80% of last year's 1.8 trillion won operating profit, and cited a 43% year-on-year drop in first-half operating profit. The company said furnace-operation and maintenance workers are excluded and that it can maintain normal operations using available personnel and emergency measures. The walkout follows a 48-hour stoppage from the 9th to the 11th, the first partial production-line strike in POSCO's 58-year history, and further escalation remains possible if talks do not progress.