'Former Moon Administration Job Chief' Hwang Deok-soon, President of the Korea Labor Institute, Also Resigns

On September 15, 2019, Hwang Deok-sun, then Senior Secretary for Jobs at the Blue House, is giving a briefing on employment trends. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Hwang Deok-soon, former Senior Secretary for Jobs at the Blue House under the Moon Jae-in administration, has expressed his intention to resign as President of the Korea Labor Institute.

According to labor circles on the 7th, Hwang announced his decision to step down from the presidency in an email sent to the staff of the Korea Labor Institute the day before.

Hwang served as Employment and Labor Secretary, Job Planning Secretary, and Senior Secretary for Jobs at the Blue House during the Moon Jae-in administration. He took office as President of the Korea Labor Institute in February last year, with about a year and a half remaining in his term.

Hwang's resignation marks a continuing trend of heads of government-funded research institutes appointed during the Moon Jae-in administration stepping down.

Hong Jang-pyo, President of the Korea Development Institute (KDI), also expressed his intention to resign the day before in protest against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's pressure to resign.

In a statement titled "Position on the Prime Minister's Remarks," Hong said, "I was greatly disappointed by the Prime Minister's comment that differences between the government and government-funded research institutes cannot be tolerated, and regarding my position."

On the 28th of last month, Prime Minister Han said, "It is unacceptable that the architect of income-led growth is sitting as the head of KDI. It must change. It does not fit well with the Yoon Suk-yeol administration."