Fears are growing that a planned general strike by unionized truckers set to begin Thursday will disrupt logistics nationwide.

The 16 regional chapters of the Cargo Truckers Solidarity under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions are set to begin their collective action at 10 a.m. at major ports and industrial complexes, where they will block the entry and exit of cargo.

With one-thousand to three-thousand members expected to participate at each location, port authorities and some businesses are taking swift action to relocate urgent shipments in advance.

Local governments and the police are also keeping close tabs on the situation by establishing an emergency response system, while vowing to sternly deal with illegal action.

The strike is unlikely to have an immediate impact on the storage rate at key ports in Busan, Incheon and Gwangyang, but authorities are bracing for a potential prolonged strike by preparing to set up temporary container depots near ports to accommodate shipments.

POSCO's steel mills in Pohang and Gwangyang and petrochemical complexes in Ulsan and Yeosu are also taking countermeasures against the truckers’ strike by securing alternative means of transport, among other preparations.