Mayor Park Won-soon Proposes Cooperation Plan for 'Universal Employment Insurance' in Meeting with Two Major Labor Unions

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon is explaining the 'Seoul-style Student Ingredient Package' project, which provides eco-friendly agricultural products and various ingredients to all students in Seoul, at the Seoul City Hall briefing room on the 7th. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon will hold consecutive meetings with the chairpersons of the two major labor unions to discuss cooperation plans regarding the 'introduction of nationwide employment insurance.'

On the 27th at 3 p.m., Mayor Park will hold a meeting with Kim Myung-hwan, Chairperson of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), in the mayor's office at Seoul City Hall. This will be his first official meeting with Chairperson Kim.

This meeting is an opportunity to review various employment retention policies implemented by Seoul City amid the employment crisis caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and to explore mutual cooperation measures for expanding social safety nets, including nationwide employment insurance in the future.

Mayor Park has emphasized that "nationwide employment insurance must be implemented comprehensively," stating, "During the foreign exchange crisis, the burden was shifted onto workers, but the COVID-19 crisis in 2020 must be handled differently."

Also attending the meeting will be Seoul City Secretary General Ko Han-seok, Policy Advisor Choi Byung-chun, Labor Policy Advisor Baek Dae-jin, KCTU Seoul Headquarters Chief Choi Eun-chul, and Policy Director Lee Joo-ho, among others.

Mayor Park is also scheduled to hold a meeting with Kim Dong-myung, Chairperson of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), on the afternoon of the 29th.