• Korean Journal of Labor Studies
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-28
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• 2018

This paper studies and evaluates the present situation of three decades of 'Minjoonojoundong' in Korea with a long-term perspectives. It had grown up during 1987 labour regime era and has declined abruptly since 1998. The backdrop of this decline was the transformation of labour regime from the 1987 regime to the dependent neoliberal one. The Korean labour movement did not respond to the changed structural conditions as it sustained its old strategies, militant unionism. Now the 'Minjoonojoundong' in Korea has met three difficult problems that are connected with each others. They are militant economism, political economism and formal industrial unionism. However the 'Candlelight Revolution' occurred in 2016 winter has opened a chance of regime change that could strengthen the 'Minjoonojoundong'. The revolution was primarily a political one. But it also created a dramatic situation change in labour politics. The candle-citizen demanded radical change of the polarized Korean society and overflown contingent workers. So it is a time of radical and overall innovation for the 'Minjoonojoundong' and KCTU. And they have to keep the long-term strategical vision of labour regime change.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.113-150
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• 2006

This study examines how labor unions change in the 21st centry and what is needed for successful transformation of Korean labor union. The study identifies four major driving forces of change in union's role. They are changes in industrial and occupational structures, utilization of information technology, labor substitution, and changing attitude of workers. The effects are decrease in union membership, shrinking coverage of bargaining, weakening voice mechanism, and representation. Thus, labor unions in the 21st centry transform themselves into service union, individual representation system, and worker participation model. Korean labor union, with its current reputation of militant unionism, needs to transform into above mentioned model. Two keys for the change are market competition and family unionism.