Deputy Minister of Employment "Consulting with National Assembly for Passage of Law Protecting 1.79 Million Platform Workers"

Attended Expert Meeting on Platform Worker Protection Act on the 17th

Park Hwa-jin, Vice Minister of Employment and Labor (fifth man from the left), poses for a commemorative photo with participants after the "Expert Meeting for Legislation to Protect Platform Workers" held on the afternoon of the 17th at the Seoul Press Center. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Park Hwajin, Vice Minister of Employment and Labor, said on the 17th, "We will actively consult with the National Assembly to ensure the 'Platform Workers Protection Act' is passed promptly."

Vice Minister Park attended a platform experts' meeting held at the Seoul Press Center on the same day and stated, "Platform jobs differ from traditional jobs in many aspects, requiring a new approach."

At the meeting, discussions were held on the necessity and direction of establishing a legal and institutional protection framework, including the 'Act on the Protection and Support of Platform Workers' proposed in March.

Vice Minister Park explained, "According to a survey by the Korea Labor Institute last December, 1.79 million people provide labor through platforms. In particular, approximately 220,000 workers, who play a crucial role in performing tasks such as job assignments by platforms, are considered platform workers in a narrow sense."

He continued, "Among the 220,000, 47.2% are in their 20s and 30s," emphasizing, "We must urgently establish an institutional foundation so that young people can enter into fair contracts and have their basic rights protected in these new jobs."

Youth platform workers mainly request information on how work is assigned reasonably, the criteria for rating scores and their utilization, and how their career records can be verified.

Vice Minister Park stated, "Workers should be able to request information on key matters from platform companies and raise objections, and companies must ensure that workers can work safely," adding, "It is no longer possible to delay legal and institutional protection."

He concluded, "We will consult with the National Assembly to ensure protective legislation is enacted promptly," and "We will continue to listen to and consider the opinions of experts and those in the field."