This article explores the changes in structural character of the North Korean General Federation of Trade Unions(NKGFTU) from 1953 to 1958. In the aftermath of the Korean War, people made a great effort to reconstruct industrial sectors in North Korea. At this time, several hundred factories were newly built and restored; the laborers who worked at these new factories joined the NKGFTU. In 1956, Sŏ Hŭi became the chairman of NKGFTU. He attempted to strengthen autonomy of the NKGFTU from the North Korean Workers’ Party(NKWP) and the North Korean government. However, his attempt ended in failure. He was one of the masterminds of the so-called ‘August sectarian strife’. He escaped to China while the All Members Council of the NKWP Central Committee was holding in August 1956. After this meeting, the NKWP sought to tighten the leadership of the NKGFTU and exercise the control over the NKGFTU. The NKWP closely proctored the lower bodies of the NKGFTU; the election was held to reshuffle the base organizations of the NKGFTU in 1957. Zealots of the NKGFTU who were loyal to the NKWP were elected to be lower executives of the NKGFTU. Thus, through the mediation of lower executives, the NKWP had the majority of factory laborers under its control. In other words, the NKWP maintained power through the dispersal of control in these base organizations run by the NKGFTU zealots. In conclusion, The triangle structure－the NKWP, North Korean government, NKGFTU in factories came to dissolve. The NKGFTU lost its leadership and was led to incorporate into ‘the unitary leadership system of the NKWP’.

This article explores the changes in structural character of the North Korean General Federation of Trade Unions(NKGFTU) from 1953 to 1958. In the aftermath of the Korean War, people made a great effort to reconstruct industrial sectors in North Korea. At this time, several hundred factories were newly built and restored; the laborers who worked at these new factories joined the NKGFTU. In 1956, Sŏ Hŭi became the chairman of NKGFTU. He attempted to strengthen autonomy of the NKGFTU from the North Korean Workers’ Party(NKWP) and the North Korean government. However, his attempt ended in failure. He was one of the masterminds of the so-called ‘August sectarian strife’. He escaped to China while the All Members Council of the NKWP Central Committee was holding in August 1956. After this meeting, the NKWP sought to tighten the leadership of the NKGFTU and exercise the control over the NKGFTU. The NKWP closely proctored the lower bodies of the NKGFTU; the election was held to reshuffle the base organizations of the NKGFTU in 1957. Zealots of the NKGFTU who were loyal to the NKWP were elected to be lower executives of the NKGFTU. Thus, through the mediation of lower executives, the NKWP had the majority of factory laborers under its control. In other words, the NKWP maintained power through the dispersal of control in these base organizations run by the NKGFTU zealots. In conclusion, The triangle structure－the NKWP, North Korean government, NKGFTU in factories came to dissolve. The NKGFTU lost its leadership and was led to incorporate into ‘the unitary leadership system of the NKWP’.

North Korea, labor/laborer, the working class, the General Federation of Trade Unions, socialism