General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea
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| Full name | General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea |
|---|---|
| Founded | 30 November 1945 |
| Members | 1.6 million (2002) |
| Journal | Rodongja Sinmun |
| Affiliation | Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, World Federation of Trade Unions |
| Key people | Ju Yong-gil (chairman) |
| Country | North Korea |
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| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of North Korea |
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General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea (GFTUKChosŏn'gŭl: 조선직업총동맹; Hancha: 朝鮮職業總同盟) is the sole legal trade union federation in North Korea. GFTUK was formed on November 30, 1945 as the General Federation of Trade Unions of North Korea.[1] In January 1951, it was reorganized and adopted its current name.[2] GFTUK is one of the most important mass organizations in the country.[3] It has 1.6 million members.[1]
The chairman of the central committee of GFTUK is Ju Yong-gil[4]
Domestically, GFTUK is a member of the popular front Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland.[5] Internationally, the Federation is affiliated to the World Federation of Trade Unions, which it joined on May 2, 1947. The unions of GFTUK are affiliated to the various branch organizations of WFTU. The head of the international department of GFTUK is Im Jong Gi.
All workers of 30 years of age are required to be members of GFTUK if they are not members of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea, or the Korean Democratic Women's League.[1]
The website of the Korean Friendship Association states that "(The GFTUK) conducts ideological education to ensure its members fully understand the Juche idea and gets them to take part in socialist construction and the management of the socialist economy with the attitude befitting masters. It has its organizations in different branches of industry." [2] However, the North Korea Handbook states that the GFTUK is not designed to serve its members but the WPK.[1] GFTUK is directly controlled by the Central Committee of the WPK.[6]
Rodongja Sinmun is the organ of the Central Committee of GFTUK.[7]
Former chairmen
- Ryom Sun-gil[1]
List of unions affiliated to GFTUK
GFTUK has two types of trade unions, the ones in state enterprises and the ones in private enterprises. Nine industry-specific unions comprise the GTUK,[1] including:
- Metal, Engineering, Mining and Power Trade Union of Korea
- Light Industry, Chemical and Commercial Trade Union of Korea
- Transport and Marine Trade Union of Korea
- Construction and Forestry Trade Union of Korea
- Education and Cultural Trade Union of Korea
- Public Servants' Trade Union of Korea
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Yonhap 2002, p. 389.
- 1 2 "Democratic People's Republic of Korea_Juche Korea". korea-dpr.com. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
- ↑ Scalapino, Robert A.; Chun-yŏp Kim (1983). North Korea Today: Strategic and Domestic Issues. Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley, Center for Korean Studies. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-912966-55-7.
- ↑ "Civil servants mark this year's first sports day". The Pyongyang Times. KCNA. 2017-01-10. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
- ↑ Lansford, Tom (2015). Political Handbook of the World 2015. Singapore: CQ Press. p. 3330. ISBN 978-1-4833-7155-9.
- ↑ "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015: Korea, Democratic People's Republic of". Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
- ↑ Yonhap 2002, p. 425.
Works cited
- Yonhap (2002). North Korea Handbook. Seoul: M.E. Sharpe. ISBN 978-0-7656-3523-5.
Further reading
- Kim Jong-il (1986). On Further Improving the Work of the Trade Unions: A Letter to the Participants in the National Training Course for Trade Union Workers May 3, 1984 (PDF). Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House. OCLC 59863019.