한국사회의 이주노동자 현황과 운동 과제|RISS 상세보기

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Since the middle of 1980s, migrant workers from south-east Asia started to come into Korea in full-scale. At that time there was no system on migrant workers and Korean government ignored them. In early 1990s government introduced ‘Industrial Trainee System’, however, it didn’t treat migrant workers as legal worker. Therefore, migrant workers could not get protection by labor law and were treated like slavery. Based on human rights discourse, migrants workers movement and their supporter groups exposed their poor working and living condition. Migrant workers labor movement through labor union started from early 2000s. Meanwhile, the enforcement of the EPS(Employment Permit System) in 2004 and that of Visit Working System in 2007 served as a momentum of the drastic increase of the number of migrant workers. However, racist immigration policy, restrictive law and institutions and discrimination in workplaces and in society keep migrant workers in the position of ‘underclass’. Under these harsh conditions, migrant workers have kept struggle for their rights. In 2005 they established ‘Migrants Trade Union’ for and by migrant workers. Korean government did not recognize the union, rather it has oppressed the union by targeted crackdown and deportation of the union leaders.
Now, migrant workers keep fighting against the new rule on workplace change made by Ministry of Employment and labor because it deprives migrant workers of their right to freely change of workplaces. This problem rises from the limit of EPS. EPS doesn’t guarantee migrant workers’ labor rights. Alternative system is needed.
Migrant workers movement aims social change by their power, so above all, they should be organized and empowered to be social force. For this, it’s a primary task to organize migrant workers into labor unions and to promote migrants activists. Progressive social movement and labor movement in Korea should make this task as a common issue.

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