The Federation of Korean Trade Unions declared the annulment of the tripartite agreement on January 19, four months after the agreement was reached, and it looks like the structural reforms of the labor market, which the government has been promoting since late 2014, will end up stranded. The government had already lit the fireworks on September 15 last year claiming, "This is the first tripartite agreement reached in seventeen years." However, the government pushed ahead with the five major labor bills, which included issues not agreed on at the tripartite meeting such as the Fixed-term Workers Act and Temporary Agency Workers Act, and on December 30, announced government plans to ease requirements to lay off weak-performance workers and to allow companies to change employment regulations to the disadvantage of the workers. This irritated labor and backfired on the government.
It does not seem likely for the five labor bills to be passed in the provisional session of the National Assembly, which will be held for thirty days beginning January 11, thus the government is planning to promote the next best thing, announcing and implementing the new guidelines as early as within this month. Labor believes that the new guidelines go beyond the scope delegated by the mother law and is expected to take legal action, such as requesting an injunction. Also, they will engage in a movement aiming at the April general elections, calling for judgment on Saenuri Party candidates.

■ Five Labor Bills and New Government Guidelines

Since the September 15 tripartite agreement, the Ministry of Employment and Labor has been concerned of a situation in which government attempts to pass the labor bills, including the bills on fixed-term workers and temporary agency workers, and to implement the new guidelines might be frustrated. On December 30, the labor ministry, aware that they could provoke labor, released the government's additional two guidelines out of impatience, realizing that the possibility of the lawmakers passing the five labor bills was unlikely.
This day, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions finally declared the annulment of the tripartite agreement, pulling the brakes on the five labor bills. After all, the tripartite agreement had been the source of energy behind the government and ruling party's promotion of the five labor bills. Now that the trade federation has claimed the tripartite agreement is nothing but wastepaper, the Minjoo Party of Korea and other opposition parties have an excuse for not responding to the ruling party's proposal for negotiations.

Labor Minister Lee Ki-kweon held a press conference immediately after the trade federation's declaration and announced that the government would continue to promote the new guidelines even if the trade federation did not participate in the discussions. Lee said, "The two guidelines and the five labor bills should have been completed by the end of last year and put into practice this year, but we are already late. We hope that the Federation of Korean Trade Unions would return to the table, but even if they do not, we plan to continue with our preparations by collecting opinions in a variety of ways." He added, "Based on the government draft released on December 30, we will listen to the views of labor and management on site according to the region and industry. We will determine it (the specific time when the guidelines will be enforced) as we listen to the opinions on site."

■ An Arduous March for the Federation of Korean Trade Unions

The Federation of Korean Trade Unions has switched to a system of resistance after declaring the abrogation of the tripartite agreement. Kim Dong-man, head of the federation said, "We will aggressively address the new government guidelines by requesting an injunction and submitting a constitutional appeal on the guidelines and by instructing our affiliates of our response guidelines. Also, we will call for judgment on anti-labor candidates and political parties centered on the Seoul metropolitan area, where the race is expected to be close in the April general elections."

It appears discussions about solidarity between the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions will begin soon. The joint headquarters of the two major trade unions in the manufacturing sector suggested, "Chairman Kim Dong-man should take part in the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions's rally against labor reforms for the worse scheduled for January 23, publicly declare the joint resistance of the two major groups of trade unions and immediately begin discussions to fight government measures." The Federation of Korean Trade Unions is expected to finalize their specific policy on this battle at their convention on February 24.

The trade federation is expected to face government pressure--an investigation by the police and prosecutors and tightening of their funds. This is also why Kim Dong-man has often mentioned, "We will have to go on an arduous march" recently. The federation also announced they would not take part in the tripartite committee, thus the various meetings of the tripartite committee will be closed until the April general elections at least.