SEOUL, South Korea -- A wire service reports that state rail workers ended a two-day strike Wednesday after reaching a compromise with management during overnight negotiations, officials said.

The strikers demanded a shorter work week and opposed a government privatization plan workers feared would lead to mass layoffs.

“The railroad suffered greatly from the strike this time. We must overcome problems that have arisen from it,” said Sohn Hak-rae, head of the state-run Korea National Railroad.

Kim Jae-gil, head of the railroad's labor union, apologized to the nation for inconveniencing travelers, saying that “I'm prepared to take responsibility.”

Kim is one of 36 union leaders being sought by authorities for organizing the “illegal” strike. Strikes by public-sector workers is banned in South Korea. Kim said he will turn in himself to authorities.

The end of the rail strike was expected to affect separate negotiations under way to end a two-day walkout by state electricity workers who also were protesting for a shorter work week and against privatization of the power grid.

Privatizing the national railway and other ineffective state firms was one of President Kim Dae-jung's top economic policy priorities in his last year in office. The change is part of reforms being pushed to strengthen the South Korean economy after the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.

The strike-ending deal does not deal specifically with worker grievances. But it includes a management promise to shorten the work week, to rehire some workers fired in past labor disputes and to increased pay.

The government refused to dump privatization plans, but it promised to take worker concerns into account.

Thousands of rail and power workers have maintained a vigil over the past two days at two Seoul university campuses while negotiations proceeded.

The impact of the strikes in the power sector was limited because most facilities are automated. The rail strike was very disruptive, however, and cities were jammed with motorists who typically travel by train.

About 25 percent of the 20,000 unionized rail workers took part in the strike.

On Tuesday, 50,000 workers at 93 private work firms nationwide walked out in support of the state workers. About 20,000 downed tools at the nation's two largest carmakers, Hyundai Motor Co. and sister firm, Kia Motors Corp.