A single spark

The biography of Chun Tae-il

Cho Young-rae, Asia Monitor Resource Centre, 336 pages, paperback, £15.00

Chun Tae-il was the founding father of the South Korean independent trade union movement who set himself alight himself at the age of 22 in November 1970. As his body burned in a protest at the exploitation Korean workers he shouted: "follow the labour standards law" and "we are not machines".

This is the first time his biography has appeared in English and it sets out the personal and social background to Chun's act of self-sacrifice. It also explains his significance: even today, Korean labour activists cite his death as the key turning point in organising an independent labour movement.

The book provides a valuable insight into the marvellous modern history of Korean trade unionism.