Minister Kim Younghoon: "AI Should Become 'Jobs for People,' Not Replace Them"

Public Institutions Under the Ministry of Employment and Labor Present Work Reports
"Public Institutions Responsible for Alleviating Job Threats from Technological Advancement"

On January 12, Kim Younghoon, Minister of Employment and Labor, stated, "The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology should not replace people, but rather become a source of jobs for people."

On this day, during a public institution work report under the Ministry of Employment and Labor held at the Government Sejong Convention Center, Minister Kim emphasized, "The AI technological revolution should serve as a tool for enhancing workers' capabilities, not as a cause for fear of unemployment." This report was organized to explain the annual policy direction of public institutions under the ministry to the public, following the presidential work report.

Minister Kim explained, "It is the responsibility of the government and public institutions to alleviate the anxiety that technological development threatens jobs," adding, "For policies to function effectively in the field, public institutions must work as one team with the government."

Regarding low birth rates and an aging population, he described it as "a national emergency that calls for a renewed appreciation of the value and importance of labor," and stated that "we must play a bridging role to expand participation in the labor market." He also stressed that workers must not be excluded or left behind during the process of industrial transformation, and that proactive support is needed to help them quickly adapt to new jobs.

Kim Younghoon, Minister of Employment and Labor, attended and spoke at the final report meeting of the "AI Industrial Transformation and Jobs Forum" held at the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training in Jung-gu, Seoul, on December 17, 2025. Photo by Jo Yongjun

To this end, the government plans to strengthen AI vocational training tailored to the characteristics of youth, middle-aged, and vulnerable groups, and to focus its policy capabilities on ensuring that AI becomes 'jobs for people' rather than a technology that replaces them. For foreign workers, the government emphasized that support for settlement, education on labor rights and safety, as well as capacity-building support to help them grow in the workplace, must be provided in parallel.

Addressing the mismatch between job seekers and employers was also presented as a major task. Minister Kim said, "We must change the structure where job seekers cannot find jobs and companies cannot find people," and called for the advancement of job matching services utilizing AI.

Additionally, he urged the implementation of creative policies, such as building governance to create social value and contribute to regional revitalization through the activation of social enterprises. Minister Kim stated, "We must boldly break down barriers in the workplace so that people with disabilities can stand as proud professionals, by expanding job opportunities, strengthening capacity-building support, and improving the work assistant system, thereby creating a workplace where they can work with confidence."

He also emphasized the employer responsibilities of public institutions. Minister Kim said, "The Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to conduct a comprehensive survey on the status of non-regular workers in the public sector across all ministries in the first quarter of this year and to develop measures to improve their treatment," urging, "Each institution must clearly present to the public a blueprint for an industrial transformation where labor is not marginalized."

The work report of public institutions under the Ministry of Employment and Labor on this day began in the morning, with the theme of 'industrial transformation.' The following organizations, responsible for workforce development and job support, presented their reports: the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, Korea Polytechnics, Korea University of Technology and Education, Korea Employment Information Service, Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency, and Korea Job World. In the afternoon, under the theme of 'narrowing labor market gaps,' the following organizations, responsible for labor safety, welfare, and education, presented their reports: the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, Construction Workers Mutual Aid Association, Korea Labor Foundation, and Korea Employment and Labor Education Institute.