Kim Tae-gi Appointed Chairman of Central Labor Commission: "Breaking Away from Exhaustive Dispute Culture Such as Strikes"

Kim Tae-gi, the newly appointed Chairman of the Central Labor Relations Commission, is delivering his inaugural speech at the inauguration ceremony held at the Government Sejong Complex on the 30th. (Photo by Ministry of Employment and Labor)

Kim Tae-gi, the newly appointed Chairman of the Central Labor Relations Commission (ministerial level), officially took office on the 30th.

At the inauguration ceremony held at the Government Complex Sejong on the same day, Chairman Kim emphasized, "We will actively provide dispute resolution services to enhance the autonomous dispute resolution capabilities of labor and management parties," and added, "We will strive to break away from the consumptive dispute resolution culture such as resolving disputes through strikes and lawsuits."

Earlier, the Presidential Office announced the new chairman the day before, describing Chairman Kim as "an expert equipped with both theory and practice in labor-management relations and disputes," and "the right person to swiftly and fairly mediate and adjudicate disputes over interests and rights between labor and management based on extensive experience in labor dispute mediation and broad understanding of labor-management relations."

Chairman Kim stated, "By gathering the balanced knowledge and rich experience of all commissioners and staff nationwide, we will enhance the fairness of the Labor Relations Commission and increase the trust of labor, management, and the public in the commission," and emphasized, "We will integrate alternative dispute resolution systems with mediation and adjudication to strengthen the preventive function of disputes and improve the satisfaction of labor and management parties with the process and outcomes of dispute resolution."

He continued, "We will solidify free legal services for vulnerable groups to expand rights protection and ensure that corrective measures against employment gender discrimination are firmly established in the field," and explained, "Additionally, we will expand educational opportunities for commissioners and staff and ensure that those with excellent dispute resolution capabilities receive due recognition."

Chairman Kim graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Economics and earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Iowa in the United States. Since 1996, he has taught economics at Dankook University. He has served as president of the Korean Labor Economics Association, a member of the Economic, Social and Labor Council, and a public interest commissioner of the Central Labor Relations Commission. The Chairman of the Central Labor Relations Commission is a ministerial-level political position with a term of three years.