Public sector trade unions affiliated to the two trade union national centers of FKTU and KCTU called on the Moon Jae-in government to abolish the performance-based pay system and to set up a regular labor-government consultation system.

In 1999, KCTU withdrew its participation from the National Tripartite Commission which was established in 1998 and since then it has never come back to the official social dialogue body for 18 years. FKTU which had been in and out of the social dialogue body in the past also announced its decision not to participate in the tripartite body of the Economic and Social Development Commission in January last year.

Amid the disappearance of social dialogue, President Moon Jae-in made a pledge during his election campaign that he will work out a basic plan to establish a society where labor is respected through the measure of the creation of a 'Korea-Model' social dialogue body.

FKTU and KCTU are emphasizing the regularization of the labor-government negotiation and the restoration of labor's trust in the dialogue mechanism as the preconditions for their participation in the social dialogue body.

Experts believe that the resumption of social dialogue in Korea depends on the sincere attitude of the new government and the responsible choice of the KCTU.

reported by Kim Hak-tae
translated by Kim Sung-jin