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In times of full-scale restructuring, when the system of corporate governance is being radically transformed, expansion of worker participation would contribute to making the corporate governance system more sound.

Moreover, by exercising shareholder rights through employee stock ownership, expansion of worker participation could contribute to the democratization of the company's decision-making and the wealth accumulation programs for workers could become a very positive policy package.

There are many ways to increase worker participation in the decision-making process.

Sharing corporate management information, having representation on corporate boards, and continually participating in the Labor-Management Council, a consultative body at the workplace level, are a few ways that should be sought.

Since the Labor-Management Council of the Tripartite Commission is already a statutory body, it could become an effective vehicle for worker participation.

Because the failure to disclose management and accounting information to workers has been one of the main factors that contributed to the creation of mistrust between labor and management, sharing corporate management information could serve as the simplest way to build mutual trust and strengthen cooperation between labor and management.

The ideal labor-management relationship would be democratic and productive in which labor and management solve problems through dialog as equal partners.

An accurate understanding of the labor-management relationship by the three parties of labor-management relationship by the three parties of labor, management, and the government is, however, vital.

Equally important is that they build mutual trust based upon an accurate understanding of each other.

One step in the direction of dialog in the content of mutual trust is the Tripartite Commission, a consultative body at the national level which consists of representatives from labor, management, and the government.

The Tripartite Commission relationship, which is need amid the wave of corporate restructuring now underway in Korea. Achieving structural reform will, however, not be easy.

Cooperation between labor and management needs to grow through improved policies and further political dialog.

Efforts should also be made to implement labor and structural reform within the framework of the Tripartite Commission, where one would expect that a partnership based upon trust between labor, management, and the government will be formed.