Announcing Stronger On-Site Guidance and Supervision of Illegal Practices
Kim Younghoon, Minister of Employment and Labor, announced the introduction of a Certified Professional Accreditation System to recognize the careers and capabilities of Ministry of Labor employees, aiming to enhance staff expertise.
On September 8, Minister Kim met with 150 employees from local employment and labor offices working on the front lines of the labor field at Dongja Art Hall in Seoul, launching the "Our Ministry of Labor Project" and engaging in open communication. The Our Ministry of Labor Project is a plan designed to make the Ministry of Labor approachable and trustworthy for all working people. Minister Kim organized this event to communicate with frontline staff and share the administration's philosophy, especially as the ministry faces significant responsibilities such as reducing serious industrial accidents.
On this day, Minister Kim made three pledges to transform the ministry into "Our Ministry of Labor." The first is to respect the value of all forms of labor. In particular, the ministry will guarantee the rights of workers in new forms of employment, such as special employment and platform work, who have not been adequately protected. To achieve this, the ministry plans to strengthen on-site guidance and supervision regarding illegal practices such as "fake 3.3% contracts" (where employers sign freelance contracts instead of employment contracts, resulting in workers paying a lower 3.3% business income tax but missing out on employment contract benefits such as the four major insurances) and "splitting businesses with fewer than five employees." All available resources will be focused on improving relevant laws and systems and developing support policies.
The second pledge is to introduce a Certified Professional Accreditation System to recognize the careers and capabilities of employees in the fields of labor, industrial safety, and employment services. The ministry plans to motivate staff to enhance their expertise by providing specialized training and reflecting field responsiveness, creativity, and work performance in promotions. According to the ministry, this will raise the overall quality of employment and labor administration and lead to tangible workplace changes that the public can feel.
The third pledge is to improve work efficiency through the transformation of labor administration with artificial intelligence (AX) in line with technological innovation. The ministry will build AI-based infrastructure to digitize voice and image materials, support relevant case law and administrative interpretations, and enhance the accuracy and efficiency of case investigations. Tasks that are unnecessary will be eliminated. The ministry aims to establish a system where frontline employees are empowered and can focus on their core responsibilities, enabling rapid and appropriate responses.
On the same day, Minister Kim delivered a special lecture on "Labor and the Humanities," which was broadcast online for the general public. He stated, "We will reduce unnecessary administrative work and increase active communication with our staff so that they can focus on guaranteeing every citizen's rights in the workplace and the right to work. In this way, the state philosophy on labor and employment of the Lee Jaemyung administration can be shared and realized."
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