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Letter from Editor
August brought significant news for Korea’s labor movement. First, amendments to the Trade Union Act, which workers had fought to secure for 20 years, passed the National Assembly. Until now, workers and unions facing strike actions to improve their working conditions were subject to claims for hundreds of billions of won in damages from employers. Subcontracted workers were denied the right to negotiate with the primary contractors who actually determined their working conditions. This amendment is positive in several respects: it defines the entity that substantially and concretely controls and determines working conditions as the employer; it broadens the definition of labor disputes; and it adds a provision stating that ‘an employer shall not exercise the right to claim damages for the purpose of jeopardizing the existence of a labor union, interfering with its operations, or hindering union activities and causing harm to union members.’ While significant shortcomings remain, and it is regrettable that platform workers and those in special employment arrangements are not included in the scope of application, it is undeniable that major changes have been achieved.
Korean Optical Hi-Tech, a Japanese company, decided to shut down its factory in Gumi after a fire broke out there. It then dismissed all workers, whether they applied for or refused voluntary retirement. The labor union began fighting for employment succession, and two female workers climbed onto the roof of the burned-out factory to stage a sit-in protest. One worker endured 600 days on the building’s roof before finally coming down on the 29th. This came after receiving assurances from the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the ruling party that they would guide the company to fulfill its responsibilities, including engaging in negotiations. While not everything is resolved, it was a step forward.
Many workers are still fighting, demanding employment continuity or direct hiring by the main contractor. As the heat is expected to subside, we look forward to more positive news ahead.
We hope that you will continue to be interested in our activities. Please pass it on to others.
If you have any questions, please reply to this email.
Thank you.
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In-depth review
Give all weekend workers weekend off (Jun.2024)
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“If the company would just recruit the necessary number of employees on the weekends … it would be possible to create a situation where employees can take at least one or two days off per month” (male, 50s, wedding venue). “If we have one more employee, we can take two days off. If we have to use all of our annual leave, seven employees would have to work.” (male, 40s, casino)
Workers secured mandatory Sunday closures twice a month through their struggle, and these closures are currently in effect at the supermarket. It goes without saying that a fixed weekend off for all workers is the minimum requirement for ensuring workers’ right to rest on weekends. It can also act as a buffer for irregular and unpredictable work schedules. Interviewees also said that “regular breaks would be helpful because we would be able to make appointments more easily if we had fixed days off.” (female, 30s, duty-free shop)
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KILSH’s studies
Research on labor conditions and mental health of sexual minority workers (2025)
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Sexual minorities are estimated to account for approximately 4.5-7% of the population, but they are not particularly visible in South Korea. Although various studies on health inequalities of sexual minorities are being conducted worldwide, there is a lack of studies focusing on the work environment and mental health in Korea. Therefore, this study explored the work environment and mental health of sexual minority workers including suggested intervention measures.
This study confirmed that sexual minorities experience mental health crises at a higher frequency than the general population. This is due to lack of social support in the workplace, discrimination and hatred, and workplace violence. In addition to identity, other life conditions surrounding sexual minorities (such as unstable employment status, supportive or hateful colleagues and family, etc.) interact with factors directly related to identity, and can have a more negative effect on mental health or a more protective effect. In particular, the factors by which sexual minority workers experience discrimination in the workplace are not limited to sexual minority identity, but also include gender, employment type, years of service, and education level, and each status affects minority identity and responses to discrimination.
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About KILSH(Korea Institute of Labor Safety and Health)
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KILSH is a public interest civil society group focusing on workers’ health and safety. We are working for healthy working conditions for all workers, and for workers to have greater autonomy in their workplaces. We meet and educate workers and trade unions on how to prevent occupational injuries and describe how to get involved in changing the working environment.
We have worked on important issues such as musculoskeletal disorders, long working hours, overwork and mental illness. We have continued our work on workers’ health rights at small-sized businesses, female workers’ health, the climate crisis, the right to stop dangerous work and how risk assessment is conducted and used. These issues are described in our monthly magazine on occupational safety and health with different topics every month. Our translation team provides information about our activities in English.
Our webpage: https://kilsh.or.kr/en/
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