Labor policies under Kim Young-sam
Hartford Web Publishing is not the author of the documents in
World History Archives and does not
presume to validate their accuracy or authenticity nor to
release their copyright.
- History of Labor Laws Amendment have been
interspersed with ‘Drive, Debate,
Reservation’
- Translated from Daily Economy
News, 17 April 1996. Government calls upon labor to
share the burden resulting from economic recovery
measures. On the revision of the industrial relations law,
there are two opposite views: a) labor urges the amendments
conform to ILO standards, b) emend the laws in such as way
as will best promote economic progress.
- President Kim Establishes Panel to Revise
Labor Laws; Seeks to Ease Rules, Meet Global Standards
- By Chon Shi-yong, Korea
Herald, 25 April 1996. Heralding a drastic easing of
restrictive labor laws, President Kim Young-sam yesterday
ordered the establishment of a presidential commission on
labor affairs to overhaul restrictive labor laws that have
drawn international cricitism.
- Government Warns Against Illegal Labor
Activities
- Korea Herald, 26 May
1996. Choi Seung-boo, vice minister of labor affairs took
get-tough stance after the Korea Confederation of Trade
Unions (KCTU) threatened to intensify labor strife
beginning next week. Choi complained that some labor
organizations are illegally intervening in individual
labor disputes in violation of the law which bans third
party intervention.
- Federation of Korean Industries
Discontented with Government Labor Reform Bill
- Chun Dae-joo, Federation of Korean Industries,
The Korea Herald, 4 December 1996. Sets
out to carefully weigh its advantages, disadvantages.
- Assembly Passage of 2 Bills Draws Outrage
from Opposition, Labor Circles
- By Shin Yong-bae, The Korea
Herald, 27 December 1996. The ruling New Korea
Party railroaded two controversial bills on labor and the
nation's spy agency through the National Assembly in
the absence of opposition lawmakers at dawn yesterday.
- Hardline Kim Stands by South Korean Labor
Bill
- Reuter, 7 January 1997. President Kim Young-sam makes
clear he will not yield to the strikers and scrap the new
labor law.
- Korean police raids union
headquarters
- From ICFTU OnLine, 10 January 1997. Raids on unions
affiliated with the KCTU and upon KCTU headquarters, with
arrest warrents for leaders, including Kwon Young-kil. Aim
to halt the wave of general strikes.
- NKP Losing Support Over New Labor
Laws
-
- From Korea Herald, 17 January
1997. Broadening popular support for strikes against the
labor legislation.
- Increased labour pressure on Korea in OECD
countries
- ICFTU Online..., 21 January 1997. Trade union pressure
is increasing in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD), a
Club of rich nations,
as
it meets to take a public stand on Korea’s new
labour legislation.
- Parties Putting Final Touches on Joint Bill
on New Labor Laws
- By Shin Yong-bae, Korea
Herald, 1 March 1997. Final touches on compromise
bills to replace the unpopular labor laws that were
railroaded through the National Assembly last December in
a secret ruling party session. The ruling and opposition
parites feel the new laws would restore many suspended
labor freedoms, and will delay for two years the carrying
out of the provision making it easier for companies to lay
off workers en masse.
- Parliament adopts revised labour
law
- From ICFTU OnLine, 10 March 1997. A revised compromise
labor law was adopted on 10 March. Unions still not
satisfied. KCTU recognized as legal.
- ALARM Action Alert—South Korea
- From ALARM, 13 June 1997. Urgent request for international
solidarity with JCMK for the government's prompt passage
of the protection law for migrant workers. Appended is a
Statement by the JCMK.