ABSTRACT
Over the past 15 years or so, human resource management (HRM) systems and practices in Korea have gone through tremendous changes. Before 1987, traditional HRM systems were characterized by long-term attachment, a seniority-based approach and an internal labour market. From the early 1990s, more performance-based systems with greater emphasis on rationality, fairness and competence came into use. Then after the financial crisis hit Asian countries in 1997, Korean companies began to prefer more flexible HRM systems, characterized by numerical flexibility, outsourcing, the use of part-time and temporary workers and merit-based pay systems. In addition, firms started to intensively train and develop HRM managers to enhance their professional competences. HRM departments have been challenged to transform their roles. All of these issues are explained and discussed in this chapter.
