A local court ordered two Hyundai Motor Co. contract workers Thursday to end their two-month protest atop a power-transmission tower, saying rejection of the ruling will cause them to pay daily fines of 300,000 won (US$280).

The two workers began the protest on Oct. 17, demanding permanent employment of contract workers. They complain that contract workers are paid far less than regular workers, although both groups do the same type of work. Hyundai Motor currently has about 6,800 contract workers.

"The respondents should end their occupation of the metal transmission tower within 10 days upon delivery of the sentencing,"

Ulsan District Court said in its ruling. "In the event the two protesters reject the order, they each should pay 300,000 won every day."

The state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. filed for a court injunction in efforts to stop the protest.

"Korea Electric Power is unable to carry out power transmission and maintenance due to the illegal occupation of the transmission tower," the court said.

In the same ruling, the court also ruled in favor of the carmaker, which filed for a separate court injunction, allowing the firm to eject other unionists staging protests in the plant's parking space.

"(The protesters) cannot hold an illegal assembly or protest in the company's parking lot without permission from the firm," the court said, ordering them to stop business interference. (Yonhap News)