Varieties of New Labor Politics: Comparing Employment Policy Reforms in Japan and South Korea

South Korea and Japan had shared many similarities in labor law and employment practices and the two governments tried to introduce the same reform at the same time since the Asian financial crisis in 1997. However, the outcomes in employment policy reform were surprisingly different in Japan and Korea, which resulted in more benefits to unstable workers in Korea than in Japan.

This talk focused on labor union strategies that influence the differences between Japan and Korea. Labor union strategies are crucial in the transition of labor relation and employment practices, because labor unions need to change the range of membership and the ways to protect their members. As the gig economy grows worldwide, a new form of labor such as uber drivers and food delivery riders who are not employees, but self-employed is spreading. This talk about labor union strategies was helpful to understand how the gig economy is progressing.