[Full Text] President Moon's Speech at the ILO Global Conference

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] “New and Better Jobs - The Path of Coexistence”

Honorable Secretary-General Guy Ryder,

Distinguished heads of state and labor-management representatives from various countries,

It is a great honor to join the ILO Global Summit

to create new and better jobs.

First, I extend my condolences to the global brothers and families who sacrificed due to COVID-19,

to those fighting illness, and to those suffering from job loss.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Furthermore, I pay tribute to the medical staff and quarantine workers dedicated to protecting humanity's health,

and I thank the labor, management, and government representatives of each country,

as well as international organizations like the ILO, who strive to protect jobs.

The COVID-19 "earthquake" has struck the world,

and like a tsunami following an earthquake, the "job shock" is already upon us.

All countries are working hard to protect jobs alongside quarantine measures,

but the COVID-19 situation remains unfavorable,

making it difficult to predict when and how job stability will be restored.

Even if a country's economy is maintained,

if the global economy remains in recession and international trade does not revive,

the job crisis will continue.

The economic crisis brought by COVID-19

cannot be resolved by the power of any single economic agent or country alone.

The ILO has projected a global increase of 25 million unemployed people,

and it is clear that the vulnerable groups will suffer even more severely.

More than ever, social dialogue and international cooperation are essential,

and the role of international organizations like the ILO is crucial.

The ILO has played a significant role

in upholding fundamental labor rights and promoting quality jobs.

From the 1944 Philadelphia Declaration stating that labor is not a commodity

to last year's Future of Work report,

the ILO has always pioneered new paths.

Today's ILO Global Summit is also very timely.

Through global discussion and cooperation,

we hope to find solutions to the job crisis together.

Secretary-General,

Heads of state and labor-management representatives,

Korea was one of the first countries to be affected by COVID-19,

and the job shock began early, but

we chose the "path of coexistence" to face the crisis.

Korean workers, businesspeople, and the government

agreed on the "Labor-Management-Government Declaration for Overcoming COVID-19."

Instead of personnel adjustments, we decided to maximize the use of reduced working hours and leave

to jointly strive to maintain employment.

Even before COVID-19, Korea has been promoting the "Regional Win-Win Job Model."

This model creates quality jobs through cooperation among local labor, management, and government,

and it is spreading across many cities nationwide.

Korea has nurtured the traditional spirit of mutual aid

into a culture where labor and management make concessions and share hardships,

which has become a strength in overcoming the COVID-19 crisis.

This has brought changes not only to jobs but also to labor-management relations.

Korea is also focusing on "crisis recovery that narrows gaps."

To avoid repeating the experience of worsening inequality during economic crises,

Korea aims to strengthen the "employment safety net."

Recently, we took the first step to expand the employment insurance coverage and introduced a "Korean-style unemployment assistance,"

and we plan to build a "universal employment safety net."

"Crisis recovery that narrows gaps" is a shared commitment of all of us.

In the post-COVID era, as the digital economy accelerates,

significant changes in jobs are expected.

To respond to this, Korea is promoting the "Korean New Deal" based on the "employment safety net."

We will prepare and create future jobs aligned with new values and changes of the era, such as "digital" and "green."

Korea has long recognized that "labor is the foundation of society,"

and has steadily advanced toward a "society that respects labor."

We continuously strive to reduce working hours and raise the minimum wage.

Through the "path of coexistence," Korea will protect and create new jobs.

We will join the international community in efforts to improve workers' quality of life, including ratifying the ILO core conventions.

Honorable Secretary-General,

Heads of state and labor-management representatives,

In Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, after the dodo became extinct,

the trees that depended on the dodo to disperse their seeds could no longer grow.

Above all, coexistence comes first.

Neighbors must live for me to live.

Humanity has evolved to cooperate,

sharing what is needed through division of labor.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made us feel the importance of solidarity and cooperation more acutely.

The international community must overcome the crisis

by choosing the "path of coexistence" rather than "every man for himself."

The international community must cooperate to achieve "crisis recovery that narrows gaps and inequality."

At the center of this is the ILO, and Korea will cooperate and act together.

Thank you.