[Reporter’s Notebook] Forcing the Labor Union Act to Ratify the ILO Convention May Become a 'Self-Defeating Move'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] Despite concerns from the business community, the government and ruling party swiftly passed the three labor-related laws necessary for ratifying the International Labour Organization (ILO) core conventions. The National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee held a plenary session at 1:30 a.m. on the 9th and approved the Trade Union Act, Public Officials Union Act, and Teachers Union Act. Rather than engaging in in-depth discussions, the bills were processed hastily in the early morning hours like roasting beans over a lightning fire. Faced with the overwhelming offensive of the ruling party holding a dominant number of seats, the opposition party was left helpless, and parliamentary democracy was severely undermined.

The passage of the three labor-related laws aims to ratify the ILO core conventions concerning freedom of association (Conventions No. 87 and 98) and the prohibition of forced labor (Convention No. 29). The Ministry of Employment and Labor argues that ratifying these core conventions is necessary for South Korea to align with the international trend of guaranteeing fundamental labor rights. However, more than 20 countries, including the United States and China, have yet to ratify the contentious Conventions No. 87 and 98. Given the ongoing issues with strong, aristocratic labor unions centered around large corporations, allowing freer formation and activities of labor organizations could inevitably constrain corporate management. It is also well known that South Korea’s confrontational labor-management relations negatively affect foreign investment.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s Labor-Management Nuri System, the number of labor disputes by year increased from 101 cases in 2017 to 134 in 2018, and 141 last year. Looking at this year’s labor dispute situation, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic initially caused a decline compared to previous years, but disputes rose to 19 cases in October, an 18.8% increase compared to the same month last year. In this context, passing the Trade Union Act is like pouring oil on a burning house.

It is also hard to dismiss the impression that the legislation was pushed recklessly to achieve accomplishments within the president’s term. The ruling party and government have recently focused on advancing government agendas and campaign promises centered on the "Labor-Respecting Society" policy direction. If they were truly concerned about the unprecedented economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, they should have prioritized laws that could increase private-sector jobs, such as resolving youth unemployment and improving the employment market. If the ruling party’s legislative dominance continues, it will become even more difficult to seek cooperation from the opposition in the future, deepening political deadlock. No matter how well-intentioned a policy is, if legitimacy is lost in the process, public opinion can turn away, and this must be remembered.

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