Ruling and opposition parties jointly urged striking workers at railway, gas and electric power companies to immediately return to work and use dialogue to settle problems with management. The parties also called for aggressive mediation efforts by the government. Chairman Han Kwang-ok of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party(MDP) said...the strike at the three state-run utilities must conclude as early as possible. Han said in a meeting of key post holders held at the party's head office.....problems cannot be settled when both sides (labor and management) insist on their own demands. The main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) asked the labor unions for a cooling-off period and to resume negotiations later on, saying the strike is causing citizens severe inconveniences. GNP President Lee Hoi-chang said....they urge the unions and the government to make utmost efforts to alleviate the people's pain. He asked the government to employ all possible dialogue attempts for the early settlement of labor unrest while urging labor to end the strike for the sake of suffering citizens.