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History of Labor Movement in Korea

History of Labor Movement in Korea. Kim Keumsoo Honorable Chairperson of Korea Labor & Society Institute (KLSI). Formation of wage workers. Commodity-currency economy started in 17 th and 18 th centuries Employed labor started in state and private sectors Embryo of capitalism

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History of Labor Movement in Korea

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  1. History of Labor Movement in Korea Kim Keumsoo Honorable Chairperson of Korea Labor & Society Institute (KLSI)

  2. Formation of wage workers • Commodity-currency economy started in 17th and 18th centuries • Employed labor started in state and private sectors • Embryo of capitalism • Peasant revolts and revolution • The Ganghwado Agreement with Japan in 1876 • Worker organizations organized in mining, seaport and transport sectors • The first labor union in Korea: in May 1898 Sungjin Bonjung Dockers Union • Workers struggle in mining, dock, railway sectors

  3. Colonization by Japan(1910-1945) • Japan colonized Korea in 1910 (actually a protectorate in 1905). • Colony economy: “reform” of land, currency, finance, banking system. • World War 1: 1914-1918, Socialist Revolution in Russia in 1917 • The March 1st Movement (popular uprising): 7000 peoples killed • Workers joined the uprising, and staged strike and collective actions.

  4. 1920s • Growth of Working class in industrialization. • Strike in Busan dock (1921), Gyeongsung Rubber factory strike (1923), Yeongheung strike (1928), Wonsan General Strike (1929). • Workers organizations established at national level: • Korean Laborers Mutual Aid Association (1920) aiming at mutual aid, awareness raising, and employment agency)

  5. Workers organizations established at national level in 1920s • Korean Laborers Mutual Aid Association (1920) aiming at mutual aid, awareness raising, and employment agency. • Korean Labor Federation (1922) aiming at new society and class unity • General Federation of Laborers and Farmers (1924): emancipation of workers and farmers, struggle against capitalists • General Federation of Labour (1927): • The Shanghai Provisional Government (1919) • Communist Party of Korea (1925) • Shinganhoe (popular front) (1927)

  6. 1930s • The Great Depression in USA • Monopoly capitalism developed in Japan. • Industrial workers increased in Korea: 101,943 in 1930; 188,250 in 1936; 520,027 in 1942 • Militarism, excessive exploitation, oppression over labor movement • Violent and revolutionary labor movement: social revolution, underground activity, link with communist party) • Sit-in struggle, demonstration, sabotage, escape from factory • Armed struggle for national liberation

  7. 1945-1950 • US army occupied South Korea, while Soviet occupied North Korea • Unemployment, high consumer price, lack of life essentials • Anti-communism and cold war policy by US army • In November 1945 Korea National Council of Trtade Unions(KNCTU: Chunpyong) was established with 505 delegates; 16 industrial unions, 1,194 workplace-level locals, 500,000 members aiming at full independence, popular front government in pursuit of progressive democracy, cooperation with national capitalists • In March 1946 Korean Labour Federation for Independence Promotion (KLFIP: Daehan Nochong) was established with 48 delegates; 15 unions based on right-wing movement aiming at cooperation between management and union, • Political strike of KNCTU: the September General Strike (1946),the March General Strike (1947), the February 7 Strike (1948), the May 8 Strike (1948)

  8. 1950-1960 • Korean war (1950-1953) • Pro-US and anti-communist government: President Rhee Sungman, • Failure of land reform, US-aid economy, the formation of monopoly capitals. • Labor laws were made in 1953: the Trade Union Act , the Labor Dispute Act, the Labor Relations Commission Act, the Labor Standards Act. • KLFIP was only accepted by Rhee government • The Rhee Sungman government was down with the April revolution in 1960.

  9. 1961-1970 • Military coup in May 1961 led by General Park Junghee. • Authoritarian regime: • 5-year economic plan • High economic growth, wide income gap • Student movement was activated • Oppression on labor movement: ban of union’s political activity, ban of multi-union, complication of legal procedure concerning labor dispute, government intervention, • Political crisis

  10. 1961-1970 • “Reorganization” of labor movement into the Federation of Korean Trade Union (FKTU) by military government. • Forced establishment of industrial unions: union structure based on industry, but union activity confined to company level. • economic struggles were active. • Extra-Ordinary Law on Trade Unions and Labor Disputes Adjustment for Foreign Invested Companies (1970) • Giving up of political struggle and legal/institutional reform

  11. 1971-1979 • Military dictatorship • Export-first economy, heavy industry, Foreign Direct Investment • The Special Law on National Security • Oppression on labor movement • Student movement, popular and workers movement grew. • Wage workers increased: 3.78 million in 1970, 6.52 million in 1979) • Low wage, long working hours, industrial accidents • President Park Junghee was killed by KCIA chief.

  12. Labor movement in 1970s • “Bread and better” unionism of FKTU • Increased union members (470,000 in 1970; 1,100,000 in 1979) • Extreme struggle: self-burning of Jeon Taeil in 1970 • Spontaneous struggles: riot by Hyundai Shipbuilding workers, riot by Hyundai construction workers • Strike increased (133 strikes in 1975, 110 ones in 1976, 96 strikes in 1977, 102 strikes in 1978, 105 strikes in 1979) demanding for wage increase, the right to organize, union democratization • Intellectual and religious communities supported labor movement. • Making of democratic unions (Wonpung Woolen, Chunggye Clothes, Dongil textile, Contral Data, YH Trade)

  13. 1980-1986 • The second military coup by military Jeon Doohwan • Gwangju Popular Uprising in May 1980 • Union “purification” policy • Democratic unions were destroyed. • Change of labor laws: ban on multi-unionism, enforcement of company unionism, ban on the “third party” intervention, wage control. • Government task force team on labor unions • Labor disputes increased, worker struggle for union democratization • Union membership increased (850,000 in 1981; 1,300,000 in 1987) • Strikes increased: 186 in 1981, 88 in 1982, 98 in 1983, 113 in 1984, 265 in 1985, 259 in 1986 • Spontaneous, but non-legal struggle: labor disputes in 1980, taxi workers strike in 1984, Daewoo Motor strike in 1984, Guro district strike in1985. • Combination between intellectual movement and labor movement • Solidarity struggle with different company unions

  14. The Great 1987 Workers Struggle • Turning point of Korean labor movement • The results and achievements of labor movements in 1960s (embryo), 1970s (beginning) and 1980s (growth). • 3,749 collective actions in 1987; 1,873 strikes in 1988; 1,319 strikes in 1989. most of the strikes were non-legal or illegal, ignoring the legal procedure. • Members-led strike. Half of the strikes were staged in non-union factories. • Workers Uprising rather than industrial disputes. • The biggest scale of workers struggle in Korean history. • The Beginning of political empowerment of working class movement.

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