Another Clash Looming Open, Flexible Postures Needed for Labor Government Korea was placed 56th out of 57 countries in this year's labor-management relationship ranking by a Swiss business school. There's nothing new about this Equally stereotyped are responses from government and business officials to the annual competitiveness report, saying militant unions stand in the way of the nation's economic growth. At least two things should be said about what has now become an annual event. First, nowhere else does this report made by the International Management Development Institute (IMD) have an influence like that in Korea. It's mainly concerned with business corporations in most other countries, but in this country, the whole of society, particularly the government and news media, has made a fuss about it. Second, the nation does not need a foreign report to know its labor-management relationship has been at rock bottom. Must labor be responsible solely for this undesirable state of things, however? This is because in every relationship, it takes two to tango. President Lee Myung-bak lamented about the scenes of "bamboo spear-wielding demonstrators," Tuesday, saying they tarnished the nation's image - or "brand" - as he currently emphasizes. Lee then reiterated his pledge to attain labor flexibility this year using every means available. Combined together, it means the government will press for legislation of various labor-related bills, including one that delays upgrading the status of non-staff workers into full-time employees, to make labor markets more pliant, and will not tolerate workers' organized opposition to it, which might turn violent at times. Most Koreans, including workers, know a flexible labor market is good for the economy, and that establishing law and order is necessary for society so violent demonstrations should not be allowed. All of these are goals worthy of pursuing. The problem, however, lies in the methods and process. President Lee and his administration are pushing to attain these goals, which require considerable sacrifices by workers, in a one-sided, top-down manner, allowing little room for expressing a difference of views by those hit hardest by these measures. That is, the government appears set to tie the workers' hands and muzzle their mouths by all but prohibiting even their gathering, as the police chief said recently. It's really worrisome how the government would pass through numerous hurdles in the way to accomplishing an advanced labor-management relationship by resorting only to coercion and strong-arm tactics instead of dialogue and persuasion. It is even turning a deaf ear to a dialogue proposal from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, brushing it aside as a tactic to justify a general strike. President Lee, a former CEO of the nation's largest construction company, must be well aware that the role of the top leader is crucial for smooth operation of a country, like in a company, and a CEO needs both determinedness and flexibility, depending on situations. Lee cites the three major negative elements ruining the nation's image as violent demonstrations, labor-management disputes and North Korea's nuclear crisis. All three issues, with the first two being combined into labor problems, can see notable progress depending on what Lee decides to do. The President should look to whether such decisions should be based on obstinacy, or more open, tolerant mind sets.