40 Companies Selected, Including Large Enterprises, SMEs, and Public Institutions
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on July 10 that it has selected companies that practice a culture of labor-management coexistence through dialogue and cooperation as the "2025 Excellent Labor-Management Culture Companies." This year, 40 companies were chosen, including MSTECH, Jungwoo Metal Industry, and COBICO.
The ministry stated that this year, 140 companies nationwide applied for the Excellent Labor-Management Culture designation. After document reviews and case presentations by region, a total of 40 companies were selected: 19 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), 13 large enterprises, and 8 public institutions.
MSTECH Co., Ltd., a software development SME, faced a crisis in 2021 when its major client, LG Electronics, withdrew from the smartphone business. However, labor and management joined forces to identify new business opportunities and maintain employment through job reassignments, creating a chance for a turnaround. The company also strengthened labor-management trust by clarifying the criteria for performance bonuses and distributing 60% of annual profits to all employees each year.
Jungwoo Metal Industry Co., Ltd., an SME specializing in pipe fittings manufacturing, overcame a 118-day long strike in 2021 by establishing a participatory labor-management relationship through open management, including direct negotiations by top executives. The labor union contributed to establishing an efficient negotiation culture by voluntarily returning unused paid union leave hours and reducing the number of collective bargaining sessions.
COBICO, an SME manufacturing automotive parts, is an employee-owned company that was revived after bankruptcy during the 1997 financial crisis through the collective investment of all employees' severance pay. The company's efforts to protect jobs and uphold the value of labor-management coexistence for 25 years were recognized as an exemplary case. The company's proactive hiring of vocational high school graduates and re-employment of retirees to ensure job stability also drew attention.
Other SMEs selected as Excellent Labor-Management Culture Companies this year include Namyang Metal, Daesung Clean Energy, LUXCO, Medipost, Vatech, Sunghwa Industry, and SJ Metal.
Among large enterprises, Gyeongnam Energy, Green Cross, Dongwon F&B, Lotte Chilsung Beverage, Samsung Bioepis, Sunjin, and LG CNS were named. In the public sector, Gyeonggi Job Foundation, Gwangju Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation, Daegu Metropolitan Transit Corporation, and the Small Enterprise and Market Service were selected.
The ministry will exempt the selected excellent companies from regular labor inspections for the next three years and defer tax audits for those recognized as exemplary taxpayers. Additional benefits such as preferential loan interest rates will also be provided.
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