Invitation Program for Kazakhstan Tripartite Delegation Ended with Result
- Laying the foundation for promoting tripartite exchange and cooperation between Korea and Kazakhstan -

Korea International Labour Foundation (KOILAF, President: Park In-Sang) successfully held an invitation program for five Kazakh tripartite leaders from February 10 to 15, 2007.

The Invitation Program ran for 6 days and this was the third time for Kazakhstan tripartite leaders to visit Korea following 2005 and 2006. The Program was organized to enhance the understanding on Korea's labor situations and industrial relations, and strengthen the cooperation further between the two nations.

The Kazakh delegation, composed of leaders from the Kazakh Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, Trade Unions' Federation and Employers Confederation, visited Korea's major tripartite organizations including the Ministry of Labor (MOL), the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), the Korea Employers Federation (KEF) and the Tripartite Commission (KTC), and had industrial visits and a cultural exchange program.

KOILAF President Park In-sang and employees had a meeting with the Kazakh delegates on February 10 where major roles and projects of KOILAF were introduced and a special lecture was given by Director Kim Sung-jin of KOILAF International Cooperation Bureau on the theme of 'Understanding Korea's Industrial Relations'.

△ February 10 (Sat.) : Entry, KOILAF, special lecture on industrial relations
△ February 11 (Sun.) : culture experience
△ February 12 (Mon.) : KEF, MOL
△ February 13 (Tue.) : KTC, HRD-Korea International Training Center
△ February 14 (Wed.) : industrial visit (Hyundai Motor Asan factory, Hyundai Oil Bank)
△ February 15 (Thurs.) : FKTU, departure

On February 12, the Kazakh delegation visited the Korea Employers Federation (KEF) to meet Director Choi Jae-hwang of Policy Bureau, and talked about major projects of KEF and current issues of Korea's industrial relations, where the delegation asked about how foreign invested companies are monitored on their observance of labor laws and how to protect the workers' rights and interests. In reply, the director explained "in the beginning stage of attracting foreign investment, the government took favorable measures for foreign investment companies such as ban on strike and tax exemption, but with workers' awareness of their rights heightened, supervision on their management is being strengthened regardless of company nationality".

On the same day, the delegation visited the Ministry of Labor and talked about current issues of Korea's labor relations. Showing a high interest in the duties of the Labor Relations Commission, the delegates explained in detail the Kazakh Labor Relations Commission's roles and responsibilities. In addition, they asked about if there is any penal provision concerning employer in case collective agreement is not fulfilled. And the Labor Ministry replied "criminal prosecution is possible in addition to civil charge".

Meanwhile, the delegates visited the Korea Tripartite Commission (KTC) on February 13 to meet the Chairman Cho Sung-jun who explained duties and operational methods of KTC. In his welcoming message, the chairman said "Kazakhstan has a huge potential for growth with its rich resources and reform and openness policies" and "I hope Korea's experience on industrial relations can serve a help to Kazakhstan establishing reasonable tripartite relations among labor, management and government".

In response, Kairat Amandykov, Vice Chairman of Trade Union's Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan said "thanks to the KOILAF invitation program, we have visited Korea in the third time now", and "we believe there are a lot to learn lessons not only from Korea's remarkable economic growth but also advancement process of the industrial relations".

Subsequently, the delegates visited the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) on February 15 to meet Jang Dae-ik, standing vice president and had a talk about the duties of FKTU and pending issues of Korea's industrial relations, where the vice president said "we have had exchanges with Kazakhstan through KOILAF" and "though there has been no direct contact between the both nations' trade unions' federations, I hope we can find an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between Kazakh federation of trade unions and Korea's tripartite organizations".

In the meanwhile, the delegation visited International Training Center of HRD-Korea, Hyundai Oil Bank and Hyundai Motor Asan factory, and talked about the current situations of each.

During the evaluation program, the delegates thanked KOILAF for continuous invitation to Korea, and expressed hope to increase exchange and cooperation in the area of labor between the two nations based on the special relationship with KOILAF.