If Dongdaemun's production speed is described only as innovation, the people who sustained it disappear. In the 1960s, many workers in Pyeonghwa Market's sewing rooms were young women facing cramped workplaces, long hours, and low wages. Jeon Tae-il, who worked as a cutter, demanded enforcement of Korea's Labor Standards Act.
His death on November 13, 1970 shook society
Near Pyeonghwa Market, Jeon set himself on fire while calling for better working conditions and died at twenty-two. His death pushed students, religious groups, and labor activists to speak publicly about the human cost of industrialization. Jeon Tae-il Bridge and nearby memorial sites should recall not only one heroic individual but the women who worked beside him.
Moving factories did not end the problem
As scrutiny of conditions increased and rents and production structures changed, some workshops moved into nearby residential districts. Changsin-dong maintained a production network close to Dongdaemun, but low subcontracting prices and excessive hours could move with the work.
Ask the same question about clothing today
Production has expanded overseas and online retail has grown, yet it still matters who makes a garment and under what conditions. Do not stop at the memorial. Consider the value of the labor that makes low prices and rapid delivery possible.