Welcome Message
Welcome to the Graduate School of Labor Studies at Korea University
It is our endeavor to cultivate students who will become leaders in the labor market of Korea and to contribute to the advancement of labor-management relations in the country.
Prof. Dae-Yop Cho Dean of the Graduate School of Labor Studies
Based on the Korea University Institute for Research on Labor and Employment established in 1965, the KU Graduate School of Labor Studies first opened its doors to students in 1994.
The Korea University Institute for Research on Labor and Employment was a pioneering research institute that laid the groundwork for the research and education of labor issues in Korea at a time when the era of industrialization began in earnest. Based on the institute, the KU Graduate School of Labor Studies was established in 1994 and received its first students the following year. Currently, the school offers a master’s degree program with five specific majors and various other education programs, such as the Executive Leadership Program, the Labor Welfare Policy Program, and the Labor Relations Professional Program. The institute holds the top position in the field of labor education in Korea.
The KU Graduate School of Labor Studies plays a bridging role between the academic world and the reality of the labor market. While the school is always attentive to trends and challenges in the Korean labor market, individuals who are related to the labor market come to us to find their roots of education and knowledge. We provide a place for companies, government authorities, and future workers to have candid communication and hold in-depth discussions. In order to meet the academic demands from our students, we offer a wide range of courses and seminars. We are also proud to say that we have an accomplished faculty who guide the students to the summit of labor education. Needless to say, the university’s 110-year tradition has been our stronghold from which we have drawn great strengths and have built great potential.
The history of mankind is intertwined with the history of labor. At any time or any place, labor has been one of the fundamental elements of human life. In current times, when every single element of modern life has been dismantled and reconstructed, labor market flexibility has become the source of changes in our society. The value and functions of labor and the political and social leverage wielded by the working class vary from era to era; however, it remains unchanged that labor is the most basic action for human beings to maintain their lives and realize the value of life. Even today, labor is still the source of human life, and its value should be regarded as one the most fundamental values in human life.
In this regard, work and jobs – particularly, stable jobs – should be considered important no matter how fast and how much the world has changed.
In order to find middle ground between the rapidly changing labor markets and lasting labor values, we should present a new paradigm of labor for the future. If restructured with a new paradigm and a new spirit of the times, our labor market could dramatically broaden and deepen its spectrum.
The progress of the labor market and healthy and advanced industrial relations can be achieved in a society where a new paradigm of labor is understood and accepted. Those are the ideals of a society that we should pursue in our school.
We will make a greater effort in becoming a training hub for future intellectuals who will pioneer the new era of labor.
The KU Graduate School of Labor Studies is waiting for those who wish to develop the expertise and qualifications required in an ever-changing labor market and a world of new order. Based on our world-class education system, we can assure you that we will assist you in creating a more mature and cooperative labor environment in future.
We look forward to seeing you in our school as we walk together into the future.