Industrial relations in China are undergoing profound changes.
These changes were set in motion by reforms which ended centralised
control of employment and wage fixing， reintroduced labour markets
and made negotiations on labour contracts and wages extremely
one-sided. Trade unions， which had no responsibility for collective
bargaining under the socialist command economy， are now being
challenged under the new dispensation to act as representatives of
the workers under market conditions， while continuing to be under
the tutelage of the party.

Korea recognises the freedom to establish trade unions. To
establish a union，two or more workers must hold a general meeting
on the formation of the trade union and submit a declaration of
formation and the bylaws of the trade union to the Korean Ministry
of Labour or local government office， which then issues a
certificate verifying the declaration of ormation after confirming
that the necessary requirements have been met.

Once the declaration of the union is complete， the union will
receive protection as a lawful trade union， as specified in the
Trade Union and Labour Relations Adjustment Act.

The declaration of formation must include the name of the trade
union，the. location of the main office，the number of union
members and the names and addresses of union officers. When a
declaration of formation is submitted， the

Ministry of Labour or local government office acknowledge it
after confirming that the necessary requirements have been
met.

The statutes of a trade union must include the name of the trade
union， purpose and activities; clauses on union members （clauses on
constituent organisations in the case of a trade union formed as an
associated union） ;clauses on the council of delegates and other
meetings; clauses on membership fees and other treasury-related
issues; clauses on disputes; and clauses on official and delegate
election procedures.

After a declaration of formation has been submitted， the
KoreanMinistry of Labour or local government office confirms
whether the organisation corresponds to the definition laid down in
the Trade Union and Labour Relations Adjustment Act：

The term "trade union" means an organisation or associated
organisation of workers， which is formed in a voluntary and

collective manner on the workers' initiative for the purpose of
maintaining and improving their working conditions and enhancing
their economic and social status.

……