Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Republic of Korea (Ratification: 1992)

The Committee takes note of the Government’s report containing answers to its previous requests, and particularly to the matters raised by the Korea Employers Federation (KEF) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) which were discussed by the Committee on the Application of Standards of the International Labour Conference (ILC) (session of June 2004).

1. Article 3, paragraph 1(b), of the Convention. Supply of information and advice to employers and workers  The Committee notes with satisfaction that in response to the request of the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards, training programmes were conducted in 2005 for labour inspectors, in particular in the Korea Labour Education Institute, on the law governing individual labour relations, collective industrial relations, methods of investigation and the prevention of labour disputes. It also notes that training courses on labour law are operating on the Internet and that labour inspectors responsible for industrial safety and health are appointed only on completion of training in industrial safety and receive refresher training every year.

2. Article 5(b). Collaboration between the labour inspectorate and employers and workers. In earlier comments, noting the KEF’s observations on the need for in-depth discussion, coordination and cooperation in the Industrial Safety and Health Policy Deliberation Committee (ISHPDC), the Committee asked the Government for further information regarding the work of the ISHPDC. The Committee notes with interest that, in response, the Government indicates that, during the period covered by its report, the work of this committee covered mid- and long-term basic plans on industrial accident prevention, a bill to revise the Industrial Safety and Health Act, a revision of legal provisions with a view to ensuring more efficient operation of the ISHPDC and more professional deliberation. The Government also indicates that special subcommittees were established by sector and that a legal ground was newly established to hear opinions from experts during discussion at the ISHPDC.

3. Article 8. Proportion of women in the staff of the labour inspectorate. The Committee notes that the Government plans to take steps to increase the recruitment of women labour inspectors in response to the increase in the participation rate of women. It notes that women accounted for 12 per cent of the total inspectorate staff in 2001, and 17.6 per cent in 2005. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide further information indicating the distribution by sex and by branch of activity of workers covered by the Convention, and to report to the ILO any changes in the inspectorate staff, with a breakdown by sex and by grade.

The Committee is addressing a request regarding other matters directly to the Government.