Korean Federation of Trade Unions Fully Suspends Participation in Economic and Social Council (Update)

Protest Against Excessive Suppression of Metal Workers' Union Officials
Withdrawal Decision Delegated to Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Leadership
Absence from Yoon Administration's First Tripartite Meeting

The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) decided on the 7th to suspend its participation in the Economic, Social and Labor Council (ESLC), a social dialogue body under the direct control of the president. This is the first time in 7 years and 5 months since the FKTU declared non-participation in the ESLC during the Park Geun-hye administration in January 2016.

On the 7th, the FKTU held its 100th emergency central executive committee meeting at the FKTU Jeonnam Gwangyang regional branch meeting room and made this decision.

The FKTU decided to delegate the authority to decide whether to withdraw from the ESLC to Chairman Kim Dong-myeong and the executive team.

On the afternoon of the 7th, at the Korea Federation of Trade Unions Jeonnam Gwangyang Regional Branch meeting room in Jung-dong, Gwangyang-si, Jeollanam-do, Kim Dong-myeong, chairman of the Korea Federation of Trade Unions, and Ryu Gi-seop, secretary general, are shouting slogans ahead of the emergency Central Executive Committee meeting. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Until now, the FKTU had participated in the ESLC representing the labor sector. This can be interpreted as the official dialogue channel between labor and the government being effectively closed.

The FKTU’s declaration of non-participation on this day stemmed from controversy over the harsh crackdown on industrial unions. On the 31st of last month, a bloody incident occurred during the police suppression of Kim Jun-young, the secretary-general of the FKTU Metal Workers’ Union, who was conducting a high-altitude protest in front of the Jeonnam Gwangyang Steelworks.

In response, the FKTU declared it would also not participate in the labor-management-government meeting scheduled to be held for the first time under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, announcing a struggle against the government.