[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Lee Jeong-mi, former leader of the Justice Party and a presidential candidate, visited Chungnam on the 31st and emphasized that "'2030 coal phase-out' is essential to achieve '2050 carbon neutrality,'" adding that she will realize a just transition to ensure that the lives of coal power plant workers are not excluded in this process.
On this day, Lee held a press conference at the Chungnam Provincial Government Office and said, "I will become a climate president who takes responsibility."
Lee mentioned, "The International Energy Agency stated that to achieve global carbon neutrality by 2050, all OECD countries including Korea need to phase out coal power plants by 2030 and achieve net-zero carbon emissions in the power sector by 2035," then criticized, "What is the government doing?"
Quoting a survey conducted by fellow party member Ryu Ho-jeong’s office targeting 3,634 irregular workers at coal-fired power plants in Boryeong and Taean, Chungnam, Lee said, "Only 8.7% of workers knew the exact closure date of the power plants, and 92.3% felt employment insecurity."
She pointed out, "The reality is that workers, especially irregular workers who are key stakeholders in the closure of coal power plants, do not even know the schedule for the plant closures," adding, "Although their daily lives are directly affected by the realization of carbon neutrality, no one is taking responsibility for them."
Lee criticized, "The government predicted a large-scale job reduction but presented complacent and inert measures such as job transition training or reemployment support for workers," calling it "a poor and ineffective policy that has been repeated during large-scale industrial restructuring over the past decades."
She stated, "I will be a 'climate president who takes responsibility' to find solutions to the crisis we face," emphasizing, "I will achieve a just transition so that there are no winners and losers in the process of responding to climate change."
Lee promised to set 2030 as the coal phase-out year, enact laws presenting measures for workers, expand power supply through renewable energy, and create good jobs. She also pledged to prepare countermeasures for the government’s closure of the Boryeong coal power plant and form the 'Chungnam Just Energy Transition Committee' to guarantee participation from local governments, labor unions, and citizen representatives.
Additionally, she added that she would introduce a carbon tax and use the secured finances to prepare measures addressing employment insecurity and income compensation in the Chungnam region. She also conveyed plans to expand the social safety net for income compensation by introducing a nationwide income insurance system.
Lee emphasized, "Through a just transition, I will ensure employment security for workers, convert irregular workers at power plants to regular positions, improve labor cost payments in the operation sector, abolish bid rates to eradicate middle exploitation of irregular workers, and prevent mandatory joint supply," adding, "I will realize a just transition that includes and supports the lives of workers."
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