Suwon Mayor Yeum Tae-young: Should Be Called "Labor Day," Not "Workers' Day"

[Suwon Ilbo - Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon Mayor Yeum Tae-young said, "I hope that May 1st next year will be called 'Labor Day,' which is used globally, rather than 'Workers' Day.'"

Mayor Yeum said on the 1st through his personal SNS, "'Workers' Day' was named when former President Park Chung-hee changed 'Labor Day' to 'Workers' Day' in 1963, taking its etymology from the Japanese colonial 'Kinro Volunteer Corps.' It is clearly a remnant of Japanese colonialism and a pre-modern term referring to non-autonomous workers," and added, "I hope the 21st National Assembly will engage in more progressive discussion and officially rename it to 'Labor Day.'"

Since December 2019, Suwon City has worked to promote workers' rights by simultaneously enacting the "Suwon City Omnibus Amendment Ordinance on Labor-Related Terminology" to change all instances of the term "workers" to "labor" in Suwon City ordinances, and the "Suwon City Basic Ordinance for the Protection and Promotion of Labor and Human Rights."

The "Suwon City Omnibus Amendment Ordinance on Labor-Related Terminology," which was jointly initiated by Suwon City Council Member Choi Chan-min, contains provisions to change the term "workers" to "labor" throughout all Suwon City ordinances, including ▲workers ▲working environment ▲labor income ▲work culture ▲work type ▲civil service workers ▲worker organizations.

Mayor Yeum said, "Our local Congressman Park Gwang-on jointly initiated legislation in 2017 to standardize the term 'workers' to 'labor' across all laws," and explained, "Considering the autonomy and historicity contained in the term 'labor' and the power of language, reclaiming 'Labor Day' rather than 'Workers' Day' holds very significant meaning."