Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and Irregular Workers Are Also Participating in the Korea Tripartite Commission

The government and the representatives of the employers and workers decided to organize a “council of leaders from the three parties” (composed of government, employers and workers) to normalize the Korea Tripartite Commission, which was limping due to the secession of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions as a member.

On May 31, the representatives of the government, employers, and workers reached such consent at a forum hosted by President Roh Moo-hyun, of which the subject was “The plans for development of cooperative labor management relations based on communication and mutual existence” at Cheong Wa Dae (which is the presidential residence of the Republic of Korea).

On this day, the participants held a debate on the five-day working system, which will be adopted from July, the improvement of labor conditions for irregular laborers, social contribution funds, and the direction of market reformation.

President Roh Moo-hyun proposed five-party communications composed of large enterprises, small and medium sized enterprises, regular workers, irregular workers, and government representatives, addressing, “In the past, workers, employers, and the government were the only necessary entities, but nowadays, small and medium sized enterprises are going through more difficulties in the management section and irregular worker are going through more difficulties in the labor market. Thus it may be necessary to organize five-party communications.”

President Roh also remarked, “Although the Korea Tripartite Commission cannot assume its regular roles soon, I hope this commission will perform important roles as an interim system for its own function,” and also added, “The government will examine the strengthening of the status of the Korea Tripartite Commission positively if it is necessary and respect your agreement more than any norms.”

Minister of Labor Kim Dae-hwan proposed, “We need to operate a centralized unit of a worker, employer, and government communication channel, which is apart from the Korea Tripartite Commission temporarily, for the purpose of building a foundation and spreading a culture of communication and compromise. Based on this, we should spread this culture into the regional business and field business units.”

At the forum on that day, Lee Su-young, the chairman of the Korea Employers Federation, Park Yong-sung, the chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kim Yong-gu, the chairman of the Korean Federation of Small and Medium Business, represented the employers. Lee Soo-ho, the chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Lee Yong-deuk, the chairman of the Federation of Korea Trade Unions, stood for the workers. The representatives from the government included Lee Hun-jai, the deputy prime minister & minister of Finance and Economy, Lee Hee-beom, the minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy, Kim Dae-hwan, the minister of Labor, Kim Keum –soo, the chairman of the Korea Tripartite Commission, and Park Bong-huem, the chief of the Presidential Policy Office.

Jung-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com