ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and the national level textile union, the National Textile Workers Union (NTWU) and explains the symbiotic relationship between the state and the union leadership of the textile industry. It provides an overview of the trade union situation as it existed in Korea during the 1970s. The chapter describes briefly the linear and 'one-way' characteristic of its 'chain of command' structure and the incidence and degree of government intervention in the shaping and control of the resultant institutions. It discusses the practical implications of the malfunction from the workers' point of view and explains the bases of the escalating conflict that developed between national-level and branch-level union administrations. The chapter contains examples of critical reaction by the international labour community to the standards and practices of President Park Chung-hee's industrial relations organisation.
