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| Presidential secretaries speak on President Moon Jae-in's bill for a constitutional revision, Tuesday. / Yonhap |
By Choi Ha-young
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Last week, Cheong Wa Dae held press conferences for three consecutive days to unveil President Moon Jae-in's proposals for a constitutional revision. In the first conference, Tuesday, Moon's senior secretary for civil affairs Cho Kuk said Moon decided to use the word "nodong" instead of "geullo" to refer to labor under his proposals.Both words translate to labor, but they have been used here under different historical and social contexts.
Some Koreans have avoided using nodong when referring to labor, and instead used geullo, a word that reportedly originated in the 1910-45 Japanese occupation and was used by dictators afterwards.
Geullo, which literally means "diligent or faithful" labor, seems to be improper as a legal term, but has been part of the Constitution for decades. Working faithfully for whom? Obviously, for the nation's wealth rather than self-realization.
As Cho noted, the term was coined during the Japanese occupation in Korea. A group of Korean women who were mobilized for the World War II ― including some women exploited for sexual slavery ― was called "Geullo Jeongsindae."
Afterward, military governments utilized the term. In 1963, then-President Park Chung-hee declared May 1 as "Geulloja's Day" ― a day for those who work faithfully ― which was formerly called "Labor Day." Amid the lingering Cold War between the two Koreas, the government was reluctant to use nodong which is often used by the North, as shown in its state-run newspaper ― Rodong (Nodong) Sinmun.
The military junta also tried to incapacitate worker resistance by declaring the "ideality" of them. To ensure the rapid development of the nation, low-paid workers were expected to be faithful, rather than demanding wage increases.
Against this backdrop, those who use nodong have been labeled as "leftist" and "rebellious" for decades. Also, the language custom strengthened negative perceptions about labor. Labor has been viewed as something "humble" and "physical," beneath white-collar jobs.
Further, the term presumes inequality between employees and employers. Why are employees only required to behave faithfully, while the virtue is not mandatory for employers? Apparently, the term advocates employers who aim to facilitate management.
In George Orwell's dystopian novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four," the imaginary totalitarian state enforces people to use the newly invented language "Newspeak." There, the "Ministry of Peace" actually means Ministry of War. Forced labor camps are called "joycamps."
The language we speak shapes how we think. In this respect, the ruling elite in Korea had touted the biased term geullo in a bid to tame citizens. In January, the Assembly's bipartisan committee on constitutional amendment advised the new Constitution to use nodong, saying the term is appropriate in terms of dictionary definition.
The latest constitutional talks reflect social progress. However, merely changing the legal term doesn't guarantee better rights for workers. As shown in #MeToo campaigns here, the nation's workplaces are notorious for unjust hierarchy. It's time for Korean workers to break away from the "outdated faithfulness" and move toward equal communication.
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