1997년 IMF 외환위기 이후 한국 최저임금제도의 변화: 역사적 제도주의 접근

South Korea’s minimum wage system, implemented in the late 80s as a strategic choice for an authoritarian regime amidst growing demands for democratization, was a top-down solution to the problem of low wages. It established the first Tripartite Commission in South Korea, the Minimum Wage Commission. However, due to various factors such as government neglect, business community indifference, and the incompetence of The Federation of Korean Trade Unions(FKTU), the minimum wage system drifted and became a socially forgotten institution. The changed labor market and labor political environment after 1997’s foreign currency crisis in South Korea led to a significant shift. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU), which gained citizenship and became one of the representatives of the labor community, played a pivotal role in this transformation. They developed a strategy to build broad social solidarity and make the minimum wage issue a major social agenda. This change marked a historical milestone for South Korea’s minimum wage system. KCTU formed a united front with the FKTU and formed the Minimum Wage Expansion Coalition, a network with civil society that seeks to expand the functions of the minimum wage system. Through the entry of the Democratic Labor Party into the National Assembly of South Korea, the Minimum Wage Expansion Coalition made their proposal a severe agenda in the National Assembly. It achieved notable results, including the passage of an amendment to the Minimum Wage Act. Through this achievement, the minimum wage system has moved beyond a protecting system for low-wage workers to a system that seeks to alleviate the problem of labor market polarization and enhance the redistribution of income among workers.