Globalisation and the Working Class in South Korea: Contestation, Fragmentation and Renewal

This paper explores the impact of globalisation on the working class in South Korea. Globalisation in South Korea has been distinctive in that it has taken place during the transition to democracy. While democratisation has empowered workers to organise, globalisation has undermined the strength of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of contemporary Asia 2010-05, Vol.40 (2), p.211-229
Main Author: Shin, Kwang-Yeong
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
contingent workers
democratisation
Democratization
Economic impact
Economic policy
Economic reform
Financial crisis
Globalisation
Globalization
Labour market structure
Militancy
Regime transition
Scandals
social movement unionism
Social Movements
South Korea
Trade unions
Unionization
Unions
Workers
Working Class
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Summary:This paper explores the impact of globalisation on the working class in South Korea. Globalisation in South Korea has been distinctive in that it has taken place during the transition to democracy. While democratisation has empowered workers to organise, globalisation has undermined the strength of the organised workers, segmenting regular workers from contingent workers. The abrupt neo-liberal economic reforms that followed the financial crisis of 1997-98 totally transformed the structure of the labour market, generating massive numbers of contingent workers who are vulnerable to economic insecurity and social risks. Under the system of company unions, the militant economic unionism that developed among unions in big corporations demonstrated its limitations in promoting the interests of contingent workers. As the struggles of contingent workers have expanded, social movement unionism, which unifies labour issues and social issues, has emerged as an alternative to militant economic unionism of unions composed of regular workers. This movement could provide a glimpse of a possible new future for the union movement in other Asian countries that have experienced similar economic and political changes.
ISSN:0047-2336
1752-7554
DOI:10.1080/00472331003597554