Rep. Jo Jiyeon: "Doing My Best to Establish Prevention-Centered Policies to Protect Workers"

Blocking Preferential Hiring and Strengthening Industrial Accident Prevention
Simultaneous Introduction of Bills

Rep. Jo Jiyeon of the People Power Party (Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk · National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee) has officially begun legislative efforts to eradicate unfair hiring practices and significantly strengthen industrial accident prevention measures.

Rep. Jo Jiyeon of the People Power Party (Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk · National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee)

Rep. Jo announced that she has sponsored amendments to the Act on Fairness in Hiring Procedures and the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, respectively, to address issues raised during the National Assembly audit by driving institutional improvements.

The amendment to the Hiring Procedures Act focuses on breaking the cycle of "preferential hiring," which has become customary in companies and public institutions.

It explicitly prohibits demanding or exerting influence for preferential or special hiring of relatives within the fourth degree of kinship of long-serving employees or those retiring due to age. Employers who violate this provision will be restricted from participating in government employment support programs.

This measure comes in response to recent cases where some companies and public institutions have been found to favor the children of retired executives and employees in hiring, sparking criticism for undermining a merit-based hiring order.

If the bill passes the National Assembly, it is expected to serve as an institutional guarantee for transparency and fairness throughout the hiring process.

The amendment to the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act centers on shifting the focus of industrial safety policy from "post-accident punishment" to "prevention." It raises the statutory minimum ratio of the industrial accident prevention budget to the total expenditure of the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Fund from the current 8% to 15%, thereby securing more stable resources for field-oriented prevention policies.

Rep. Jo explained, "There are limits to reducing industrial accidents solely through tougher penalties," and added, "A structural shift is needed to achieve tangible reductions in industrial accidents by allocating sufficient preventive budgets."

Rep. Jo Jiyeon emphasized, "I will ensure that the problems revealed during the National Assembly audit do not stop at being pointed out, but lead to practical institutional improvements through thorough follow-up legislation," adding, "I will do my utmost to establish a fair hiring culture and ensure that prevention-centered policies to protect workers' lives and safety take root in the field."

This amendment targets the core issues of fairness and safety in the workplace, and is expected to have significant impact during future discussions in the National Assembly.