President Lee Receives Briefing from the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment
Urges Power Generation Subsidiaries: "Public Institutions Must Set an Example"
President Lee Jaemyung questioned the effectiveness of the five power generation subsidiaries under Korea Electric Power Corporation. He emphasized that public institutions, which carry out national affairs on behalf of the state, should set an example by improving the structure that increases the risk of industrial accidents due to excessive cost-cutting competition.
On December 17, at the Sejong Convention Center, after receiving a work report from the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, President Lee said, "I wonder why the power generation companies had to be divided like this," questioning the criteria for splitting up the power generation subsidiaries. He added, "Didn't we just end up with five presidents? Was it divided as simply as slicing tofu?"
In response, Lee Ho-hyun, the Second Vice Minister of the Ministry of Climate, explained that the intention was to create balanced competition between gas and coal power plants. President Lee reiterated, "The competitive effect seems to be less than originally expected." Vice Minister Lee also admitted, "Since Korea Electric Power Corporation is the sole purchaser, the competitive effect appears less than initially anticipated."
He also pointed out the potential side effects, such as a series of industrial accidents resulting from excessive cost-cutting competition among the power generation subsidiaries. President Lee highlighted that the headquarters outsourced work that should have been handled internally, which ultimately led to industrial accidents like the death of subcontracted worker Kim Yonggyun at the Taean Thermal Power Plant. He stressed, "The fundamental purpose of public corporations or public institutions is to implement national policy. Of course, their business operations may have corporate elements, but essentially, they are carrying out national affairs."
President Lee continued, "The ultimate goal of public corporations or public institutions is not to make as much money as possible, but to make citizens safer and happier. It is not right for the public sector to harshly exploit workers or worsen working conditions to the point where many people die from industrial accidents or suffer from cruel wage exploitation."
He further pointed out that the state should serve as a model employer, but instead is becoming a leader among bad employers. President Lee said, "Why is the state doing this? I think it's because of an obsession with efficiency above all else. Saving a lot of money does not make a government competent. It is also necessary to be a moral government."
President Lee added, "In any case, I hope that splitting the power generation companies into five does not become a cause of worsening treatment and working conditions for employees. This applies to all the power generation companies."
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