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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

South Korean Writers Form Union to Fight for Labor Rights Amidst Poor Conditions

From Hankyoreh · (4m ago) Korean Critical tone

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A newly formed Writers' Union in South Korea is seeking official recognition to protect the labor rights of creators across various media.
  • The union highlights that 77% of surveyed writers reported deteriorating health due to their work, and over 60% earn less than 10 million won annually from writing.
  • Union leaders argue that writing is labor, citing 'occupational diseases' and stagnant wages for two decades as evidence, and aim to negotiate better contract terms with publishers and platforms.

The establishment of the Writers' Union in South Korea marks a significant step towards recognizing creative work as legitimate labor, a perspective The Hankyoreh has long championed. For too long, writers—whether of novels, webtoons, or illustrations—have been treated as artisans rather than workers, their contributions undervalued and their rights unprotected.

The 'occupational diseases' that writers like myself suffer from are evidence of our labor.

— Oh Bit-na-riThe Writers' Union chairperson highlighting the physical toll of writing as proof of labor.

The union's findings are stark: 77% of writers experience health deterioration, and over 60% earn less than 10 million won annually from their craft. These are not the conditions of thriving artists but of precarious workers struggling to make ends meet. The stagnant wages, unchanged for two decades, coupled with the rise of platform-based work that often involves overwork and excessive platform fees, paint a grim picture of the creative economy in Korea.

77% of respondents reported that their health had worsened due to writing labor, and over 60% responded that their annual income from writing labor was less than 10 million won.

— Writers' Union SurveyKey findings from a survey on the working conditions and income of writers.

Union chairperson Oh Bit-na-ri emphasizes that writing is indeed labor, pointing to the prevalence of 'occupational diseases' as undeniable proof. This framing is crucial. By defining their struggles within the context of labor rights, writers can move beyond individual grievances and collectively bargain for better conditions. The union's goal is not just to improve individual contracts but to establish industry-wide standards for fair compensation and working environments.

The problem of sexual violence within the literary world is a kind of industrial accident.

— Oh Bit-na-riOh Bit-na-ri's perspective on addressing issues like sexual harassment as a labor-related problem.

From our vantage point at The Hankyoreh, this movement is vital. While international coverage might focus on the artistic output, we understand the systemic issues that hinder Korean creators. The union's fight for official recognition and collective bargaining power is a fight for the sustainability of creative professions in Korea, ensuring that those who enrich our culture can also build a secure future. This is a uniquely Korean struggle, born from a specific blend of rapid digital transformation and a traditional underestimation of creative labor's value.

The common difficulty for writers is that they cannot envision a future because they chose the profession of writer.

— Oh Bit-na-riHighlighting the chronic insecurity faced by writers in South Korea.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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