The Dynamic Evolution of Urban Industrial Mission in Korea
Published: 2009
Author(s) Name: Grant Michelson
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Abstract
This study analyses urban industrial
mission (UIM) as a non-traditional
actor in Korean employment
relations from the early 1960s
to the 2000s. It shows how one
church-based organization in
Seoul, Yong Dong Po (YDP) - UIM,
was able to impact other employment
actors (the state and employers)
and struggle against the suppression
of labour rights and
worker voice, particularly in the
period upto 1987. As the trend towards
greater democracy from the
late 1980s gathered momentum, the
influence of YDP-UIM in Korean
industrial relations began to decline.
The case study suggests that
in the absence of alliances or coalitions
with established actors, new
and non-traditional actors which
pursue orthodox economic goals
will be those most likely to endure
and feature significantly in a
country’s industrial relations
system.
Keywords : Korean employment relations, Urban industrial mission
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