SOUTH KOREA / WESTERN EUROPE
In this context, the weaknesses of the conglomerates have become apparent. Many of the problems have already been encountered in the developed capitalist countries. Just as in the US (with Ford or General Motors in Detroit) and Europe (with Fiat in Turin) the most important industrial groups are tending to reduce the enormous productive centres. The South Korean government is currently putting strong pressure on the chaebols to convince them to specialize in specific fields and reduce their concentrations of production.
Urgent need for industrial restructuring
The need for restructuring is now becoming urgent; although still higher than in the most developed capitalist countries, South Korcan growth rates have been in decline over the past three years, with estimates of between 3 and 7% for 1991. Exports, long the key to the South Korean boom, grew by 36% in 1987 and 28.4% in 1988, but fell by 3% in 1990.12 This year the government is aiming to limit the rise in the minimum wage to 12%, while the unions are demanding 19%.'3
The birth of Chunnohyup was followed in November 1990 by the creation of the People's Party (Minjoungdang), which is the political expression of the new independent workers' movement and is supported by the student movement.
Its leader, Jon Ki Pyong enjoys great popularity in the country and all its lcaders, which include workers, students and intellectuals, have already spent several terms in the country's prisons. The hostility of the pro-North Korcan current towards the Minjoungdang, which calls for national reunification without making it the central point in its programme, is a sign of this party's independence. Its programme follows to a large extent that of Chunnohyup (sce box).
While based on the unions, it brings together a range of political outlooks, including the various left and social democratic currents, Christian currents (above all Catholics), sectors of the peasant movement, women's organizations and left wing elements of the civil rights' movement, who denounce censorship and struggle for the relcase of the political prisoners.
Minjoungdang is a party in formation, but its militants are already discussing the possibility of putting up its own lists in next year's national clections. Apparently the party has not yet taken a firm position on its attitude to Kim Dae Jung, the main leader of the liberal democratic opposition, the only force opposed to the regime present in the South Korcan parliament. 18 12. Ibid. 13. Korea Labor, op. cit. International Viewpoint #210 • July 8, 1991