Governor Kim Youngrok: "No One Will Suffer Loss After Administrative Integration"

Labor Community: "Job Security and Workplace Anxiety Must Be Addressed"

Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, attended the first operating committee meeting of 2026 at the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Gwangju Regional Headquarters on the 23rd, and held a discussion with Chair Yoon Jonghae and the heads of the industrial unions to jointly address labor's concerns and seek solutions related to administrative integration. Provided by Jeonnam Province

Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, stated in relation to the administrative integration of Jeonnam and Gwangju that "we will make sure that no specific region, organization, or individual suffers any damage." As discussions on administrative integration are gaining momentum, this move reflects his intention to hear directly the concerns of the local labor community about changes in employment and working conditions.

On the 23rd, Governor Kim attended the first Steering Committee meeting of 2026 at the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Gwangju Regional Headquarters and held a discussion with Chair Yun Jonghae and the heads of sectoral unions.

At the meeting, participants conveyed a range of on-site views regarding "organizational restructuring," "personnel transfers," and "changes in labor welfare policies" after the integration.

The labor union of the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education raised concerns about anxiety among office of education employees over the possibility of changes to their workplaces in the event of integration. The Kwangju Bank labor union mentioned the need for support to improve the office environment of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Gwangju Regional Headquarters. There were also opinions calling for strengthening care and welfare infrastructure, such as expanding 24-hour daycare centers.

Governor Kim said, "Every issue must be decided after sufficient discussion within the framework of common sense and the law and institutional system," adding, "It is my consistent view that integration must not result in losses for any specific region, organization, or individual."

He added, "We will reflect on-the-ground opinions as much as possible and prepare measures that the majority can accept."

Regarding the construction of the Labor Human Rights Center, a long-cherished project of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Gwangju Regional Headquarters, he also said, "After the integration, we will actively review it."

Meanwhile, Jeollanam-do plans to gather opinions from all sectors, including the labor community, during future discussions on the integration of Jeonnam and Gwangju and to prepare institutional supplementary measures from the perspective of mutual growth and balanced development. It is expected that social consensus on the direction and pace of integration will be the key factor.