[Exclusive] Late Jeon Tae-il to Receive the Mugunghwa Medal

Government Awards on 50th Anniversary of Death... Recognized for Contributions to Labor Rights Advancement
Labor and Progressive Camps Accelerate Promotion of Pro-Labor Bills Including 'Jeon Tae-il 3 Laws'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] This year marks the 50th anniversary of the death of the late Jeon Tae-il, who will be recognized by the government with an award for his contributions to industrial democratization and the promotion of labor rights.

The government and ruling party are expected to push forward pro-labor legislation in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Jeon Tae-il. The labor sector and progressive camp are also leveraging this momentum to promote various pro-labor bills, including the so-called "Jeon Tae-il 3 Laws."

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor and related government agencies on the 26th, the government is in the final stages of awarding Jeon Tae-il the Order of Mugunghwa, the highest class of the National Medal of Honor. This is to honor his contributions to industrial democratization and labor rights protection on the 50th anniversary of his self-immolation protest.

Recently, the Ministry of Employment and Labor sent a government award recommendation letter for Jeon Tae-il to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. After review by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the award will be finalized through procedures including a vice-ministerial meeting and presidential approval. A ministry official stated, "If the government award is confirmed, it will be presented at the 50th anniversary memorial service held next month." The memorial service will take place on November 13 at Jeon Tae-il's gravesite in Moran Park, Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor collected public opinions until the end of last month to use as materials for the government award review. A representative from the Jeon Tae-il Foundation said, "The bereaved family and the foundation submitted the official commendation report after consultation," adding, "Although it has not been officially notified yet, we understand that the award is almost certain."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The National Medal of Honor is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the welfare of the people and national development in the fields of politics, economy, society, education, and academia. It is divided into five classes: ▲Order of Mugunghwa (1st class) ▲Order of Moran (2nd class) ▲Order of Dongbaek (3rd class) ▲Order of Mokryeon (4th class) ▲Order of Seokryu (5th class). At the June 10 Democratic Uprising commemorative ceremony, the late Lee So-sun, mother of Jeon Tae-il, Bae Eun-sim, mother of Lee Han-yeol, and the late Park Jeong-gi, father of Park Jong-cheol, were awarded the Order of Moran.

Originally, the qualification for the medal requires at least 15 years of distinguished service in the relevant field. However, the government judged that Jeon Tae-il's contributions far exceed this basic principle. A Ministry of Employment and Labor official explained, "Yu Gwan-sun also received the Republic of Korea Medal, the highest class of the Order of Merit for National Foundation, in a case similar to Jeon Tae-il." Jeon Tae-il led labor movements to improve harsh working conditions with long hours and low wages. He organized the "Samdonghoe" in the Peace Market to protect workers' rights and protested, and on November 13, 1970, he set himself on fire demanding "Compliance with the Labor Standards Act."

Riding the momentum of the 50th anniversary of Jeon Tae-il and the government award atmosphere, the government is preparing to push pro-labor legislation. First, it plans to address the blind spots in industrial accident insurance for special types of workers (called "teukso hyeongtae geunrosangsa," or special employment types), such as delivery workers. Recently, there have been a series of deaths among delivery workers suffering from long working hours, which has sparked public concern. Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea have proposed an amendment to the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act that would abolish the system allowing special types of workers to opt out of industrial accident insurance in principle and permit it only in cases of illness, childcare, or employer shutdown.

The progressive camp and labor sector are pushing for the enactment of the Serious Accident Corporate Punishment Act, known as part of the "Jeon Tae-il 3 Laws," along with amendments to the Labor Standards Act and the Labor Union Act. The Jeon Tae-il 3 Laws include ▲expanding the scope of the Labor Standards Act to workplaces with fewer than five employees, ▲recognizing special types of workers as employees, and ▲strengthening penalties for companies responsible for serious industrial accidents causing worker deaths.

In particular, the Justice Party has made the enactment of the Serious Accident Corporate Punishment Act its "No. 1 bill" to be handled in the current regular session of the National Assembly. Under the current Occupational Safety and Health Act, if a primary contractor violates safety measures causing a worker's death, they face up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to 100 million won. The Serious Accident Corporate Punishment Act proposed by the Justice Party expands the scope of punishment to include business owners and management executives (directors and CEOs) and sets penalties at imprisonment of three years or more or fines ranging from 50 million to 1 billion won. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions is pressuring the National Assembly by holding press conferences urging the passage of the Jeon Tae-il 3 Laws.