Members 1.6 million (2002) | Journal Rodongja Sinmun | |
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Full name General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea Founded 30 November 1945 (1945-11-30) Affiliation Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, World Federation of Trade Unions Key people Ryom Sun-gil (chairman) | ||
General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea (GFTUK) is the sole legal trade union federation in North Korea. GFTUK was formed on November 30, 1945 as the General Federation of Trade Unions of North Korea. In January 1951, it was reorganized and adopted its current name. GFTUK is one of the most important mass organizations in the country. It has 1.6 million members.
The chairman of the central committee of GFTUK is Ryom Sun-gil, who is also a member of the Supreme People's Assembly.
Domestically, GFTUK is a member of the popular front Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland. Internationally, the Federatoin is affiliated to the World Federation of Trade Unions, which it joined on May 2, 1947. The unions of GFTUK are affiliated to the various branch organizations of WFTU. The head of the international department of GFTUK is Im Jong Gi.
All workers of 30 years of age are required to be members of GFTUK if they are not members of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea, or the Korean Democratic Women's League.
The website of the Korean Friendship Association states that "(The GFTUK) conducts ideological education to ensure its members fully understand the Juche idea and gets them to take part in socialist construction and the management of the socialist economy with the attitude befitting masters. It has its organizations in different branches of industry." However, the North Korea Handbook states that the GFTUK is not designed to serve its members but the WPK. GFTUK is directly controlled by the Central Committee of the WPK.
Rodongja Sinmun is the organ of the Central Committee of GFTUK.
List of unions affiliated to GFTUK
GFTUK has two types of trade unions, the ones in state enterprises and the ones in private enterprises. Nine industry-specific unions comprise the GTUK, including: