Ⅰ. Basic Structure

Understanding labor law is the most basic requirement for efficient human resource management, and it is on their knowledge of labor law that human resource and labor managers implement their tasks. Labor law is constantly being revised, so it is important to stay up-to-date on it. The following figure illustrates a systematic classification of labor law in Korea.



Ⅱ. Categories of Labor Law

1. Individual labor relations laws

Individual labor relations laws define the relationship between individual employees and their employers. In other
words, they provide legal criteria pertaining to a contract of employment between an employer and his/her employee, the
details of the employment relationship, and the procedural requirements for modifying or terminating the employment
relationship, thus protecting working conditions for individual employees.

2. Collective industrial relations laws

These laws govern labor relations between worker organizations, such as labor unions and employee representatives, and
employers. They are intended to establish an autonomous problem-solving practice(labor-management autonomy) by
guaranteeing the right to organize for all workers, particularly those who are underprivileged in social and economic
terms, as compared to their employers, so that the former may be on an equal footing with the latter.

Ⅲ. Scope of Labor Law Application