Hong Nam-ki: "Non-regular workers have definitely decreased... Employment deterioration is due to COVID-19"

Engaged in a Debate with Seo Byung-su over Zero Irregular Workers and Income-Led Growth

Hong Nam-ki, Acting Prime Minister, attended the government-related questions on the economy held at the National Assembly plenary session on the 20th and responded to questions from Seo Byung-soo, a member of the People Power Party. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Hong Nam-ki, Acting Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister for Economy, stated on the 20th that "the number of non-regular workers has statistically decreased" in relation to the Moon Jae-in administration's job policies. However, he explained that the employment deterioration last year was largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the government questioning session held at the National Assembly that day, in response to Rep. Seo Byung-soo of the People Power Party's question that "contrary to the Moon administration's promise to convert non-regular workers to regular positions, the number of non-regular workers has rather increased," Acting Prime Minister Hong said, "Zero non-regular workers is an expression of the will to reduce them as much as possible."

He added, "However, the economy was in recession in 2019, and we unexpectedly experienced economic downturn and difficulties due to COVID-19 in 2020."

Following this, Rep. Seo and Acting Prime Minister Hong engaged in a debate over whether the increase in non-regular workers was caused by COVID-19 or by the Moon administration's job policies.

Rep. Seo pointed out, "You keep blaming COVID-19 for such problems, and while COVID-19 did cause serious damage, the initial economic policy failures of the Moon administration originally ruined our economy," adding, "In 2019, our economy was already damaged by 'income-led growth.'"

In response, Acting Prime Minister Hong argued, "'Income-led growth' is not the same concept as the minimum wage," and explained, "It is about providing jobs to supplement income."

He also said, "I do not deny that employment was severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic itself is an economic recession occurring once in a century," adding, "Employment worsened compared to other situations. However, looking at the employment trends in March, despite the difficult situation, from March onward, there was a base effect and economic recovery support."