Labor leader`s political shifts

In Europe, labor parties were born from unions. Entering the 1990s, however, such parties brought in non-union people in transforming themselves into popular entities distancing themselves from labor. Excluding certain socialist states, most countries try not to overlap parties with unions. The U.K, Germany and the U.S. are just a few examples. France enacted a law in 1906 to separate a political party from a union.

The Federation of Korean Trade Unions failed to hold a regular general meeting for the first time in 66 years. Members snubbed the event Wednesday to protest excessive political participation of the group`s leaders. The federation partnered up with the Democratic Party and Citizens Unity Party to launch the Democratic United Party in December last year. This was not support or an alliance, but integration. The federation acquired a stake in the new party with major executives assuming positions within the party. Federation chairman Lee Yong-deuk is a co-head of the party. Members of the labor body`s 10 sub-units among 27 requested the cancellation of giving additional posts, but were rejected.

The federation teamed up with the ruling Grand National Party (now the Saenuri Party) in the 2007 presidential election, allowing four federation executives to enter politics helped by candidate nominations from the party. Lee, who led the alliance, was rejected apparently due to opposition to a migratory politician. He might have worked with the Democratic Party out of a sense of betrayal. Employment and Labor Minister Lee Chae-pil recently criticized the labor group for getting off track. Even if the federation joins politics, it should be for supplementary purpose. This is a case of the tail wagging the dog.

Editorial Writer Heo Seung-ho (tigera@donga.com)