Resumption of Public Livelihood Forum After 49 Days
President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering opening remarks at the 25th "Public Livelihood Discussion" held on the 14th at the Seoul Employment Welfare Plus Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. The discussion was conducted under the theme "Thank You, Embracing the Workplace Together." [Image source=Yonhap News]
President Yoon Suk-yeol announced on the 14th that the government will enact the "Act on Support and Protection for Vulnerable Workers" (tentative name) to take full responsibility for protecting vulnerable workers. He also emphasized that the "Department for Support of Unorganized Workers," which was ordered to be established within the Ministry of Employment and Labor, will officially launch on the 10th of next month to strengthen support for vulnerable workers.
On the morning of the same day, President Yoon held the 25th Public Livelihood Forum under the theme "Thank You, a Warm Workplace Embracing Together" at the Seoul Employment Welfare Plus Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. He stated, "If we ignore the realities of vulnerable workers in labor reform, it cannot be considered a proper reform," and added, "There is a need to comprehensively organize the support system for vulnerable workers."
This Public Livelihood Forum resumed after 49 days since the last meeting held on March 26 in Cheongju, Chungbuk. President Yoon had temporarily suspended the forums ahead of the April 10 general elections but resumed them on this day. In his opening remarks announcing the start of "Public Livelihood Forum Season 2," President Yoon said, "While our economy has grown and the lives of workers have generally improved, there remain many vulnerable workers in our society who have not properly shared in the fruits of growth. At the Public Livelihood Forum review meeting on April 4, I instructed the Ministry of Employment and Labor to establish the 'Department for Support of Unorganized Workers,' which is scheduled to launch next month. I will personally ensure that it communicates with the field and provides proper assistance."
The "Act on Support and Protection for Vulnerable Workers" (tentative name) will also be enacted. President Yoon explained, "This law will support the establishment of mutual aid associations that provide economic assistance to unorganized workers when they suffer from illness, injury, or unemployment. It will also include the establishment of dispute mediation committees to promptly resolve disputes and protect vulnerable workers. Standard contracts for vulnerable workers will be prepared within the framework of this law, and legal grounds for protecting and promoting the rights of unorganized workers will also be included."
Furthermore, he announced plans to expand projects that support the formation of win-win solidarity by matching prime contractors and the government to improve welfare for small subcontractors, as well as projects that assist small enterprises, which find it difficult to operate welfare funds independently, to jointly establish welfare funds. Efforts will also be made to reduce insurance premium burdens for delivery workers exposed to traffic accident risks and to expand rest facilities for platform workers. President Yoon emphasized, "The government will actively address malicious wage arrears that make life harder for vulnerable workers," and added, "We will strengthen government-level protection measures against employers who habitually withhold high wages."
In particular, President Yoon stated, "Labor market polarization leads to wage and income polarization, which further expands into class polarization and can pose a crisis to democracy. This is a national task that must be resolved." He stressed, "The government will accelerate labor reform to resolve polarization and actively ensure that vulnerable workers are not marginalized."
On this day, President Yoon listened to the hardships and difficulties experienced by attendees in their workplaces. Participants voiced concerns about various issues they faced, including the declining garment industry, discrimination due to non-regular employment, and poor working conditions in flooring construction. President Yoon attentively listened to these field difficulties and urged that issues that can be resolved immediately should be improved swiftly.
About 70 workers from various fields, including substitute drivers, delivery workers, flooring and scaffolding (temporary structures installed at heights) workers, attended the forum. From the government, Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jeong-sik participated, along with Chief Secretary to the President Jeong Jin-seok, Policy Chief Seong Tae-yoon, and Senior Secretary for Social Affairs Jang Sang-yoon from the Presidential Office.
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