The Future of Contractual Mandatory Retirement in South Korea

Although contractual mandatory retirement at a specified age has been eliminated, or limited, in many Western nations, the practice remains widespread in other parts of the world. In South Korea (henceforth, Korea) most workers are subject to contractual mandatory retirement, often while still relatively young; that is, in the 50s. Korean retirement policies are deeply rooted in the belief by policy makers, employers and unions that mandatory retirement creates jobs for young workers. In addition, because worker compensation is linked to age, employers argue that the seniority-based wages paid to older workers are excessive. Notwithstanding the opposition to reforming retirement policies, Korea faces a rapidly aging population that will require modifications to existing retirement arrangements. Moreover, greater emphasis on human rights, and efforts to reduce age-based discrimination in employment, will add to the pressures to increase the age of contractual mandatory retirement.Mandatory Retirement, South Korea, Age Discrimination, Population Aging

Foreign Labor Trends: Korea

Foreign Labor Trendskorea_2003.pdf: 517 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

Tracking Chart 2004 Reebok, South Korea 12024075C

This document is part of a digital collection provided by the Martin P. Catherwood Library, ILR School, Cornell University, pertaining to the effects of globalization on the workplace worldwide. Special emphasis is placed on labor rights, working conditions, labor market changes, and union organizing.FLA_2004_Reebok_TC_South_Korea_12024075C.pdf: 9 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

Subject: International

Compiled by Susan LaCette.International.pdf: 820 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

Fair Labor Association 2006 Annual Public Report

Introduction concerns effects of globalization. Examines changes from 2005-2006 as companies are encouraged to move towards self compliance, with a concentration on corporate responsibility. Data is broken down by company

ILR School Ph.D. Dissertations

Compiled by Susan LaCette.ILRSchoolPhD.pdf: 4022 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

Foreign Labor Trends: Australia

Foreign Labor Trendsaustralia_2003.pdf: 615 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

Bonuses, Overtime, and Employment: Korea vs. Japan

This paper examined the bonus and wage behavior in Korea. We found that both bonuses and wages in Korea respond to economic conditions much more than their counterparts in Japan. This finding may reflect the fact that the Korean labor market is much closer to a spot market rather than a long-term contract (lifetime employment) market. Hence the bonus/wage ratio is apparently insensitive to economic conditions in Korea, unlike in Japan (Freemand and Weitzinan). When "overtime" component of the wage is separately examined, it responds to economic conditions less than bonuses but more than base wages.

Indonesian labor legislation in a comparative perspective : a study of six APEC countries

The author compares Indonesian labor legislations with labor policies in five other APEC countries: Chile, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, and the United States. The report focuses on legislation affecting union regulation, minimum wages, nonwage compensation, and working conditions. Current legislation in Indonesia is a mixed bag of laws protecting workers'welfare but controlling organized labor. Indonesian laws restrict the ability of labor organizations to effectively represent workers to management at the plant level. In this, they are similar to Malaysian laws and, to a lesser extent, new Korean legislation. They provide a stark contrast to current legislation in Chile and the United States. But Indonesia legislation governing minimum wages, mandated nonwage benefits, and other labor standards, appear to be at least as generous as legislation in the five other countries. Indonesia is under pressure to ease restrictions on unions. The author suggests that allowing effective plant-level bargaining could give workers more of a voice at the workplace, but that improving industrial relations will require more than legislative changes. Careful changes in legislation and industrial relations could help unions play a more positive role, while downplaying labor's more negative role. The author cautions against centrally mandating labor standards, instead of letting workers and their employers negotiate them at local plants.Environmental Economics&Policies,Labor Policies,Labor Management and Relations,Labor Standards,Work&Working Conditions,Work&Working Conditions,Banks&Banking Reform,Labor Management and Relations,Environmental Economics&Policies,Labor Standards

Does China Still Have a Labor Cost Advantage?

In recent years wages in China have been rising and the yuan has appreciated, potentially eroding China’s cost advantage in manufactures. This paper explores the evolution of China’s relative unit labor costs in manufacturing over 1998-2009. Between 1998 and 2003 China’s unit labor costs fell, but since 2003 they have increased both absolutely and relative to US unit labor costs. Much of the rise in China’s relative unit labor costs can be traced to a real appreciation of the yuan against the dollar. Despite the recent rise, China’s unit labor costs remain low relative to those in most other countries.China, labor costs, productivity, international competitiveness, real exchange rate