"Reduce Gaps in Similar Jobs and Positions"
"Necessary Work for the Future Even Without Immediate Results"
Kim Han-gil, Chairman of the National Integration Committee, is delivering a greeting at the launch ceremony of the Special Committee for Job Gap Resolution held at the Government Seoul Office Building on the morning of the 16th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Kim Han-gil, Chairman of the Presidential Committee for National Integration, emphasized on the 16th that "income polarization is primarily caused by disparities in wages and working conditions between large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as between regular and non-regular workers," and stressed the need to address this issue.
At the launch ceremony of the Integration Committee's Special Committee on 'Resolving Job Disparities' held at the Government Seoul Office on the same day, Chairman Kim stated, "Although income polarization is improving in terms of economic polarization, it remains at a high level compared to major countries. Asset polarization is also worsening overall, as real estate prices rise mainly in specific regions."
Chairman Kim pointed out, "The reality is that wages for workers in SMEs with fewer than 300 employees are only about half of those in large corporations, and wages for non-regular workers are only about two-thirds of those for regular workers," adding, "As a result, despite SMEs suffering from severe labor shortages, young people are only preparing for regular employment in large corporations, and cases of giving up on employment altogether when that does not work out are increasing."
He continued, "Reducing job disparities that appear despite performing similar duties in similar industries and creating a vibrant labor market based on fairness and coexistence is an urgent task that can no longer be postponed to resolve economic polarization."
Chairman Kim referred to the recent Nobel Prize in Literature awarded to author Han Kang and introduced the fact that he launched the Korean Literature Translation Institute during his time as Minister of Culture.
He said, "I remember that the late President Kim Dae-jung, after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, thought it was necessary to create an environment where literature could also receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. When establishing the Korean Literature Translation Institute, he said that someday these efforts combined would lead to winning the Nobel Prize in Literature. It is truly gratifying to see such results after 20 years."
He added, "Some efforts may seem ineffective at first, but after 10, 20, or 30 years, people realize 'that was indeed a necessary effort.' The work of the Integration Committee is exactly that kind of effort."
Chairman Kim said, "Even if this special committee works very hard and produces good results, those results may not shine immediately. However, if someday it is recognized that 'those efforts back then started these changes,' I believe we will all feel a sense of accomplishment."
On this day, the Integration Committee held the launch ceremony and the first meeting of the 'Special Committee on Resolving Job Disparities.' The special committee consists of 14 members, including Chairman Park Cheol-sung, professor of economics and finance at Hanyang University, academics and researchers in the labor field, and field experts. Going forward, the special committee plans to devise measures to prevent the widening wage gap between companies and establish a performance- and ability-based wage system.
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