Yoon to Personally Oversee 'K-Content and Construction Union Illegality' This Week

This Week's Export Strategy Meeting and Discussion on Measures Against Illegal Activities at Construction Sites
Presidential Office: "There Will Be an Opportunity to Hear the Voices of On-Site Personnel"

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] President Yoon Seok-yeol will hold an export strategy meeting this week to discuss ways to expand agricultural and marine product exports and export strategies for the K-content industry. Considering the somewhat stagnant approval ratings due to the controversy over 'interference in party affairs,' he plans to continue his efforts on the livelihood economy and will personally oversee measures to eradicate illegal activities at construction sites.

Lee Dowoon, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, stated at a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the afternoon of the 19th, "An export strategy meeting attended by the President is scheduled for this week," adding, "The meeting will evaluate last year's export performance and report this year's export strategy, with two special reporting agenda items."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

First, President Yoon will receive reports on plans to expand exports of agricultural and marine products and export strategies for the K-content industry, including K-pop. The spokesperson elaborated, "There will also be an opportunity to hear suggestions and voices from field personnel related to the K-content industry." Attention is focused on whether related issues will be mentioned amid the intensifying management dispute at SM Entertainment.

Measures to eradicate illegal activities at construction sites will also be prepared. The report, attended by Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; Lee Jeong-sik, Minister of Employment and Labor; Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice; and Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, is expected to comprehensively address the current status, causes, and eradication measures of illegal activities.

Earlier, on the 17th, President Yoon presided over a senior secretaries meeting and emphasized, "Reform cannot be achieved without ensuring accounting transparency," adding, "Transparency in union accounting is the starting point of union reform." According to data compiled by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, only 120 unions, accounting for 36.7% of the total targeted unions, properly submitted the requested documents by the government’s deadline of midnight on the 16th. Among the remaining 207 unions, 54 unions (16.5%) did not submit any documents, and 153 unions (46.8%) submitted incomplete documents.

Previously, the government requested 334 unions and federations, including the two major labor unions, to report by the 15th whether they complied with the obligation to keep and preserve financial documents. Article 14 of the Labor Union Act stipulates that "a union must prepare and keep at its office a list of members, bylaws, names and addresses of officers, minutes of meetings, and financial books and documents within 30 days from the date of establishment of the union."

Accordingly, the Ministry of Employment and Labor decided to grant a two-week correction period starting from the 17th to unions that did not properly submit the documents. However, if corrections are not made within this period, the ministry plans to initiate a fine imposition procedure as early as the 15th of next month. If unions neither submit documents nor provide explanations, on-site investigations will be conducted, and refusal or evasion of such investigations will also result in fines.