총 8페이지

www.theargus.org
NATIONAL
3
OCTOBER4,2005
“Idonotwantthewageraise!”
300wonraiseinminimumwageshortensworkinghours
public enterprises compete in their technology and
ByKimAh-reum
price.However,whentheycannotgetthepricedown
ReporterofNationalSection
any further, they will start lowering the labor cost. If
the government stops them from lowering the labor
T
he Ministry of Labor announced that minimum
cost, it will backfire on the government, because the
wage has been increased from 2,800 won to
government will have to pay higher price to find the
3,100 won per hour. Compared to last year, the
rightoperator.Thiscanbeareasonwhyworkingtime
amountis9.2%higher.TheMinimumWageSystem
hadtobeshortened.
(MWS) is significant that it secures low-waged
Third problem also has something to do with the
laborers, who are shunned by the society, the
relationshipofthegovernmentandpublicenterprises:
minimum standard of living by the government
the contract period. One thing the government has to
directly intervening between the employers and the
dowhensigningacontractwithapublicenterpriseis
employees. Yet there are opinions that raised a
decidingthewagealongwithitscontractperiod.The
questionabouthowthenewwagepolicystilldoesnot
governmentdeterminesthecontractperiodbetween3
reflectthemeaningofminimumwage.
to5years,whereasMWSisraisedeveryyear.Inother
35 years have passed since Jeon Tae-il’s self-
words, the laborers who are currently under this
burning incident. The incident implies a suggestion.
contract with the government are not eligible for the
We all remember the slogans he used, “The Labor
raiseofminimumwage.
Standard Act must be protected!”, “We are not
machines”,whichhedemonstratedandburnedhimself
Itisaproblemofhumanright.
for.Thequestionnowtoaskwouldbe,“Iftheworking
Laborers, who work at public enterprises, barely
environment for laborers has gotten any better, is the
manage to survive on the their salary. The salary, of
newMWStrulybasedonJeonTae-il’sheart?”
course, is paid by the government. After IMF
KimAh-reum/TheArgus
economiccrisis,theunemploymentratehasincreased,
Asanitationworkerpaidminimumwageisworkingatasubwaystation.
Thejusticeof3,900woninminimumwage.
and accordingly, the government introduced a “low
Out of all the indigent households, about 65.7%
butwhatthegovernmentdidwasaraisetoonly3,100
September 22. A sanitation worker, who works at a
wagepolicy”inordertolowertheunemploymentrate
were working in 2005. What the data suggest is that
won,onJune30,2005.
subway station, remarked, “I work 9 hours a day, 7
and to diminish the government’s expenditure. With
thelaborers,whomtheminimumwagelawappliesto,
Tomaintaintheminimalstandardofliving,atleast
days a week. I personally think that I do work a lot.
this, wage expense went down. Since then, the
are not able to achieve the lowest standard of living.
1,100thousandwonpermonthneedstobeguaranteed.
ButifIcouldattaintheminimalstandardofliving,I
established structure of wage has been maintained
Thus,theMinistryofLabor(ML)submittedarevised
But the present minimum wage (2800 won) provides
would work more. If my monthly wage reduces
untilnow.ItappearsasacontradictionofMWS.That
version of MWS bill at the National Assembly on
thepovertyclasswithonly700thousandwon,which
because of shortening of working time, I don’t want
is, the economic standard has improved, but the
January 10, 2005. ML insisted on 50% increase of
iswaytooinsufficient.
it.”
government’s“lowwagepolicy”iskeepingongoing
averagewageoftotallaborers,whichisthe3900won,
Penuryclassworkersofpublicandsmallenterprises
The reason for shortening of the working time can
backwards.
receive 630 thousand won per month. They are
beeasilyexplained.Shorteningofworkingtimecomes
MWSisaproblemofhumanright.JoungKyoung-
working9hoursadayand7daysaweek.Thismuch
natural with the increasement of wage for the
Eun, a deputy director of KCTU, remarked, “Our
http://newscenter.nodong.org
ofincomeonlyallowsthemtospend900wonadayto
enterprises in order to keep running their companies
society isn’t all that happy although only 1% of the
fulfill their needs. The new MWS deviates from its
efficiently. It was inevitable for the government to
people are so rich that they own 50% of national
essential intention of guaranteeing the minimal
savethenationfromapossibleperiodofrecessionand
territory.Thepoorstrugglemoreandmoretoescape
standardoflivingforhardworking,low-paidworkers.
tolistentowhattheenterpriseshavetosaymorethan
fromthisdamnationofpoverty,butalltheyfaceisan
whatthelaborersclaim.
unescapable steel wall in front of them. That wall is
AdditionalproblemsofMWS
The second problem is that the poverty-stricken
thecurrentstructureofoursociety.Sanitationworkers
ThefirstproblemofnewMWSisreductionofwage
workers in public enterprises are controlled by the
aredoingwhatotherpeopleusuallyrefusetodo.Itjust
in accordance with shortening of working time.
government. Because of this, the wage of laborers of
seems nonsensical that the ones who do the hardest
Workingtimehaschangedfrom44hoursto40hours
public and small enterprises is affected by the
workingarepaidthelowest.Whatmakessenseisthat
a week, and this puts the monthly wage at the exact
government’s “lowest cost bidding system”. The
atleastthefundamentalrightsmustbegiventothem
sameamountaswhentheminimumwagewas2,800
lowest cost bidding system is a decision the
becausetheywerebornhuman.Theproblemwiththis
won.
governmentmakesonpublicenterpriseswhenitisin
istheimpossibilityofhelpingalltheweakwhenthere
Citizen’s organizations and sanitation workers of
need of substitute operators for SOCs. Through this
aresomany.Ifonlywearecapableofhelpingthem,
public enterprises, led by Korean Confederation of
system government measures which company can
what they need is not just the minimal standard of
Trade Unions (KCTU), demonstrated to eliminate
performhighqualityoperationofpublicfacilitiesata
living, but the standard of living which all human
Emotionalconfrontation,
Sanitation workers demonstrated to eliminate
reduction of wage in accordance with shortening of
lower cost, and the company which proposed the
beingsmustbegranted.”
Dissolutionofthestate.
reductionofwageattheNationalAssembly.
working time before the National Assembly on
lowest cost is selected as the operator. This makes
marryou7@hufs.ac.kr
Anotherwaytoreducesocialgap
Educationinmarket
thetitle“teacher”becomesofrivolous?
work for the alienated people who are
ByKimHan-sem
ByKimHan-sem
My heart felt this burden coming down
unknown to public. I was aware of the
AssociateEditorofNationalSection
AssociateEditorofNationalSection
upon when came across reading today’s
things I could do for those people. It was
article about a charlatanic teacher who
whenImovedtoSeoulforschoolandwent
I
fyouareacollegestudent,especiallythe
usurpedmoneybymisleadingtheparentsto
S
teppinginside,itdoesn’tfeellikewhat
tomychurchforthefirsttimethatIlearned
self-boarding ones whose pocket never
believe that himself was a specialist at
is expected on a leisurely Friday
about Study Room. Immediately with no
felt affluent so you sometimes wonder
teachingtopschoolaimers.Ofcourse,heis
evening. The house manager’s voice, half
hesitation,IknewthiswaswhatIwantedto
whether there is a hole in it or what, then
the bad guy; the parents are victims. But I
mixed with annoyance, is ringing out the
do,”Leesays.
youprobably,oratleastdreamtof,havinga
seethisasmoreofasocialproblembecause
hallway, and the children have blue
Although this is what he volunteered to
tutor job, which is, the easiest and the
itdealswithprivateeducation.
drippingontheirfaces?theolderboysran
work for and is what he likes, he explains
quickest way to make money to support
Under market economy, like Korea, all
away from home last night. The house is
howthingsgotalotmorecomplicatedthan
yourliving.
goods and services excluding public sector
tensedup.
hewantedittobe.Heisresponsibleforthe
Imyselfdidmuchtutoringbusiness,just
areopentotrade.Ifthedemandgoeshigh
Study Room, founded in 1988, was
middle school boys who are probably at
as most of the readers would have. It
for a product, then its price follows. And
originally created for the children of under
their most sensitive age of their life time.
seemed almost unfair when I acquired that
needless to say, low demand causes low
13yearsofagewhoseparentsarenotable
Ontopofthat,almostalloftheboyshave
muchmoneyinmyhands
price. According to the
to look after them during the day due to
experienced or are still experiencing
TheEye
so easily. I even thought
schoolofneo-classical,or
work. But naturally, the group started to
rejection from their families, schools, and
in my mind, “Maybe this
more likely to be called
seek for somewhere they could be more
the society. Feeling alienated from the rest
iswhatIamcalledtodo.”
the believers of neo-
needed,therebychangingthepurposeofthe
of the world, boys are oppressed under
But one thing I tell you
liberalism, it is better to
groupfromtakingcareofchildrenofbusy
awareness of inferiority. Lee finds the
though, as simple as it is
relyeverythingonthefree
parentstohelpingouttheonesofpoverty-
reason for their disobedient behavior here.
to make money in this
market
economy,
strickenfamilywiththeirschoolworksand
The fact that the kids are lacking hope in
KimHan-sem/TheArgus
business, it’s three times
especially with a good
college entrance exams. Currently with
heart gives Lee the toughest time because
Leeisteachinganelementarystudent.
ashardastofindthatjob.
suchaseducation.Thisis
about13universitystudentsandtwostaffs
that makes the chance of improvement
I will have to make a
a very efficient way of
participating, Study Room has a solid
downtoasclosetoaszero.
keeps on cursing and laughing while the
knowtheguysandtheteamleaderdon’tget
confesshere.BeforeIgot
controlling the market
structureoforganizingtheteam.
This sensitiveness of early adolescence
teacherprays.Otherboysgoalongwiththis
along so well.” Yet Lee does pretty well
used to teaching children
indeed.Butisithumane?
Lee Seh-min (22) is a volunteer teacher
causes much doubt and misunderstanding.
mood.Theclassisturningintoanone-man
withtheelementarykidsalso.
English,Iwasspendinga
In case of a normal
ofStudyRoom.HegreetsTheArguswitha
All the middle school boys here convince
showoftheteacher.
All this sounds good as long as Study
time of agony from empty pockets I told
good,consumersneverhavetoworryabout
shy smile, which made him look as an
eachotherthattheyarebeingexploitedby
To get the attention from the boys, Lee
Room can operate smoothly; however, the
about above. It was all because I couldn’t
beingdefraudedwhenbuyingbecausethere
introspective person. Soon it becomes
the staffs because it just does not make
throwsinaquestionofwhattheirproblem
storydiffersmuchindealingwithfinancial
findatutoringjob.Nobodywantstohirean
aresystemssuchasinsurance.Ifthisideais
obvious that he is not so reflective, but
sense to them that someone would help
is.Boysstarttoblabberoutwhattheyhad
problems. There once were many
inexperienced,somewhatfullgrowncollege
applied in education, the insurance can be
rather active and trustworthy when talking
othersatnocost.Whattheybelieveisthat
on their mind?mostly their dissatisfaction
supporters from both religious and secular
boy to take care of his/her precious nine-
interpreted as every teacher owning a
about his students. On the way to Study
Study Room is getting paid by the
about Study Room as depicted above. As
volunteernetworks,butnowthereareonly
year-oldchild.Soyes,Iusedafakeresume.
teacher’s license, even for the college
Room, Lee explains about the surrounding
government, and they also believe that the
Lee speaks to them what he thinks of the
twochurchesthatsupport,oneofwhichthe
I told via writing that I was a very well
students.Itfranklyisimpossible.Evenifit
apartment buildings. The apartment village
amount depends on the number of
matter,afewoftheboyslistenwithserious
former president Kim Young-sam went to.
trainedteacherwhohadtaughtseveralkids
were, there is no way to return the final
is relatively new and neatly designed. But
participationofthechildren;therefore,asa
faceon,othersdonot.Then,afterawhile,
A girl from Study Room makes her
ofageleveleighttotwelve.Andthat’swhy
product when it proves to be
heexplainshowthesebuildingsarebuiltby
boy in the middle of class argues, Study
asiftheyrealizedtheteachersareonStaff’s
commentabouthowdinnertablehasgotten
I’m asking for the forgiveness of my sins,
malfunctioning,whichmeans,onegoodlife
the government for the people who cannot
Room should pay them the money it has
side, boys go wild once again. The class
worse.
really,throughthisarticle.
can be ruined by receiving some bad
affordtoliveeveninaleasedhouse.These
earnedbykeepingthem.Perhapsthat’swhy
doesnotlooklikeaclassanymore.“Thisis
Don’t worry though. The teachers and
Yettherestillremainsonemorethingto
education. And that would be perfectly
people can lease the houses at a low cost
someoftheboysranaway.
usual to spend more than half of the class
children are holding out pretty well. If
confess. That is, I decided not to hire any
legal,too,becausethereisnowaytotellifa
after going through the examination of
Finally after dinner, today’s lesson
time talking to them about problems they
there’sanythingneeded?moreurgentthan
college student as a private tutor for my
privateteacherisguaranteedtoteachwell.
private property by the government. Most
begins. There were two teachers today for
have in their life, even when we know it
the financial issue?that would be the
own child in the future. It is not only
Educationsureisaproblemnoonedares
ofthefamilieshereareunstableandfragile
middle school boys. One is Lee, and the
seems to end in more problems at hands,”
participation of more college students.
because I could teach my own beloved
to talk about openly nowadays. After
duetopoorincome.AsforLee,whatseems
other teacher is a team leader of the
saysLeejokingly.
“Best condition to teach would be the one
child,butmorebecauseIneverconsidered
several tries of educational revolution, it
to be lost in most college students can be
university student volunteer team. He is
Lee is soon moved to another room
on one teaching. As the gulf between rich
my22year-oldselfasagoodteacher.More
somehow became a subject forbidden. But
found in him, that is, the passion and
even more unpopular with the kids than
because the teacher in charge of that room
and poor deepens in our society, the only
thanhalfofthetime,Ididn’tknowwhatto
one thing for sure, the fast spreading false
sympathy for the weak. Presently, he is
Lee. The boys say it is because he always
could not come. This time Lee is teaching
way to break that chain is through
do with this little kid who probably didn’t
teaching must be stopped. And the case of
helping out Study Room on every Friday
says“no.”
two elementary schoolers. Class mood
impartiality in education. More college
understand one thing I told him that day.
swindling teacher shows us that education
nightfromsixtoeight.
First thing to do for class is to have a
differs from the one just before. Kids here
students who are aware of the social
Well, frankly to say, it was nonsensical to
inopenmarketdoesn’thelp.
He is majoring in Applied Biology at
word of prayer by the team leader.
arequietandobedient,maybebecausethey
injustice need to participate and give us a
begin with to allow an untrained,
Seoul National University. It really isn’t
Althoughitisalreadyexpectedforthemnot
arestillintheirchildhood.ButLeedoesn’t
hand,”LeeSeh-minandhisstudentsmake
inexperienced, and unlicensed college
krakysmurf@hufs.ac.kr
hardforhimtofindaplaceintutoringfor
to take a part in this, it almost feels like a
look so happy with it. He remarks with a
theirlastcomment.
studenttobecomeateacher.Sincewhendid
50,000wonperhour.“Ihavealwaysbeen
betrayal to observe how they behave. The
little bit of unsatisfaction, “Well, it is the
thinking about participating in a voluntary
boy who is bigger in height and weight
middle schoolers who I usually teach. I
krakysmurf@hufs.ac.kr

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