'Labor Issue Burden' on the Roh Tae-woo Government... 1990 'International Labour Organization' Membership Push Deferred

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Declassifies 1989 Diplomatic Documents... 240,000 Pages
Government Employee Unions Denied Access, Domestic Situation at the Time Violated ILO Standards... Government Also Aware

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] It has been confirmed that the Roh Tae-woo administration felt a significant burden regarding labor issues in the second half of 1989, when aspirations for economic democratization were emerging following political democratization. Diplomatic documents from 30 years ago reveal that the Roh Tae-woo government postponed early membership in the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 1990. The Roh Tae-woo administration, which was established after the 1987 Great Workers' Struggle, anticipated that joining the ILO would increase political and economic burdens.

According to the minutes of the ILO membership promotion meeting produced in December 1989, which were disclosed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 31st, it was mentioned that it was necessary to review whether promoting ILO membership was appropriate, including the Blue House, the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Labor, and the Agency for National Security Planning. Among the UN specialized agencies, the only organization that South Korea had not joined was the ILO.

At the time, Lee Jung-bin, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated, "Domestically, labor-management disputes have become a serious issue, and the government is placing importance on maintaining industrial peace, so it is necessary to review whether promoting ILO membership next year is appropriate in relation to the labor-management environment."

The government itself seemed to recognize that domestic laws existed that contradicted the principles set by the ILO. According to the minutes, it was mentioned that "the government's policy of not permitting the National Federation of Labor Unions, teachers' unions, and public officials' unions, as well as the domestic law prohibiting the formation of multiple unions, violate the ILO's fundamental principle of freedom of association," and "labor organizations are expected to continue filing objections and complaints with the ILO, which will likely request government opinions and dispatch fact-finding teams, leading to frequent cases."

The Ministry of Labor also expressed concerns in consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that joining the ILO under the current circumstances would be embarrassing because it would be unable to recognize public officials' unions and the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (JeonGyoJo).

Instead, externally, they decided to emphasize that "active opposition from North Korea is expected and the requirements for ILO membership are stringent." The deputy minister said, "The common opinion is that promoting ILO membership next year is not beneficial," adding, "If labor-management issues stabilize, the membership issue will be reconsidered, but if the situation continues, the promotion of membership will be postponed next year as well."

The Roh Tae-woo administration had actively pursued early ILO membership in the first half of 1989. However, it showed contradictory actions in the second half of the year. South Korea had attended the ILO General Assembly as an observer since 1982 and officially joined the ILO in December 1991 after simultaneous UN membership with North Korea in September of that year.

Still, among the eight core ILO conventions, four clauses related to "freedom of association" have not been ratified by the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it will disclose a total of 1,577 volumes (approximately 240,000 pages) of diplomatic documents, mainly from 1989, which have passed 30 years since their production, along with original annotations, to the public. The documents to be disclosed this year include those related to the Uruguay Round negotiations, consultations on the U.S. Trade Act Super 301 clause, the repatriation of Sakhalin Koreans, the establishment of a consultative system with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and documents related to the establishment of diplomatic relations with Eastern Bloc countries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.