[22nd Rising Star](21) Former Financial Labor Union Chairman Park Hong-bae "First Bill Will Be Four-Day Workweek"

Union Activities to Change Rigid Organizational Culture
"Labor Movement and Politics Are Inseparable"

Editor's NoteThere are 131 first-term lawmakers entering the 22nd National Assembly. This is the lowest number since the 16th National Assembly in 2000, which had 112. The public expects these lawmakers to lead politics of dialogue and compromise amid a situation where the ruling party is in the minority, and to deliver tangible results. We introduce the first-term lawmakers who are expected to bring a fresh breeze to the 22nd National Assembly. (1) Park Ji-hye (2) Go Dong-jin (3) Kwak Sang-eon (4) Park Soo-min (5) Park Chung-kwon (6) Seo Myung-ok (7) Lim Mi-ae (8) Choi Eun-seok (9) Boo Seung-chan (10) Wi Seong-rak (11) Jo Seung-hwan (12) Kim Nam-hee (13) Kim Jun-hyung (14) Park Sung-hoon (15) Kim Hyun-jung (16) Kim Yong-tae (17) Lee Joo-young (18) Mo Kyung-jong (19) Seo Ji-young (20) Kim Sung-hoe (21) Park Hong-bae

"People don't recognize me." On the 28th of last month at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Park Hong-bae, a member of the Democratic Party, repeatedly brushed his chin with his hand, seeming awkward without his beard. He also kept adjusting his tight necktie and suit. Four years ago, when he was active as the chairman of the financial labor union, he was more suited to having a beard and wearing a vest. He said, "As a union chairman, I looked more like a teacher or a banker, so I grew a beard," adding, "Now that I am a lawmaker, I want to appear neat, but it will take some time to get used to it."

Park Hong-bae, elected member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is giving an interview to Asia Economy at the National Assembly on the 28th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Park entered the financial sector by chance. Although he graduated from university in August 1998, due to the foreign exchange crisis, there were no corporate recruitment notices posted on the university buildings. It was not a time to be selective about industries or companies when seeking employment. Park said, "After several interviews and an internship, I ended up joining the Korea Housing Bank," adding, "I started working as a banker by chance."

Park began full-fledged union activities in 2011, becoming a full-time executive of the KB Kookmin Bank union. The part he focused on most during his union activities was changing the rigid organizational culture unique to the financial sector. Park said, "I often saw cases where management made wrong decisions because they were not familiar with the field and did not listen to the opinions of the workers," adding, "I decided to change the rigid organizational culture, which became the reason for my full-time union activities."

During his union activities, he also made the first attempt to introduce the union-recommended director system. This system means that a person recommended by the union exercises voting rights on the board of directors. It caused a significant stir at the time, and Seoul City even implemented the union-recommended director system for public institutions. However, it faced severe opposition. Park said, "The management side considered management rights an inviolable area, and the labor side viewed it critically as it was not a traditional form of struggle," adding, "After becoming the chairman of the KB Kookmin Bank union and meeting overseas shareholders in 2017, I tried to introduce the union-recommended director system but felt its limitations."

"Yoon has done nothing but suppress unions... The opposition must utilize its majority seats"

Park Hong-bae, the elected member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is giving an interview to Asia Economy at the National Assembly on the 28th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Park emphasized that he started politics to resolve difficulties in the labor field. From August 2020 to April 2021, he served as a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, gaining valuable experience in legislative achievements such as the passage of the Serious Accident Punishment Act. He said, "Labor movements and politics are inseparable," adding, "When you try to solve difficulties in the field, you naturally engage in political activities as well." He also explained, "The labor sector views that the Yoon Seok-yeol administration has done nothing but suppress unions during its two years in power," adding, "Although it seems unlikely that the Yoon administration's stance will change, the opposition will make use of the situation where it holds the majority of seats."

His first bill will be related to the 'four-day workweek.' With technological advancements, discussions related to basic society are underway, so there is a need to prepare for the four-day workweek in advance. Park said, "Compared to when the five-day workweek was expanded in 2003-2004, we need to take more time to introduce the four-day workweek," but also noted, "It is problematic not to prepare for the four-day workweek at all." He continued, "We need to experiment with the four-day workweek over a period in industries where dangerous industrial accidents occur," emphasizing, "This is a policy the state must not delay."