Kim Dong-yeon: "Labor and Vulnerable Population Issues Must Be Addressed in Public Domain Together with Social Community"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park Noh-hoon] Participating organizations of the Gyeonggi Province Labor-Management-Government Consultative Council agreed to jointly cooperate to overcome the livelihood economic crisis and discover implementation tasks, while uniting efforts for fair transition of labor and job creation following carbon neutrality industrial transformation.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon presented a 'Joint Declaration on Overcoming Livelihood Economic Crisis by Labor-Management-Government' with major participants at the first plenary session of the Labor-Management-Government Consultative Council of the 8th Civilian Government held on the 29th at the multipurpose conference room of Gyeonggi Provincial Government Building.

The meeting was attended by about 20 council members including Kim Yeon-poong, Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters, Kim Chun-ho, Chairman of the Gyeonggi Employers Association, Min Gil-soo, Head of the Central Regional Employment and Labor Administration, and Park Jin-man, Head of the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation's Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters.

In particular, Moon Woo-sik, Co-Chair of the Provincial Livelihood Policy Special Committee, and representatives of labor and management organizations participated in the declaration, reinforcing efforts to restore livelihoods.

In accordance with the joint declaration, Gyeonggi Province, the labor sector, and the management sector agreed to discover implementation tasks to overcome the livelihood economic crisis and actively communicate and cooperate.

Specifically, the 'labor sector' committed to strengthening labor-management partnership based on trust and cooperation to overcome the labor and livelihood economic crisis, and the 'management sector' pledged to actively work toward regional economic revitalization through employment stability, labor-management cooperation, and innovation to strengthen corporate competitiveness.

The Province committed to taking a leading role in expanding the labor safety net and stabilizing the livelihood economy by inspecting blind spots in labor rights protection such as platform and ultra-short-term workers and strengthening support for vulnerable labor populations.

At the consultative council, a 'Business Agreement for Fair Transition of Employment and Job Creation Due to Carbon Neutrality Industrial Transformation' was also held, with participation from five organizations: Gyeonggi Province, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters, the Gyeonggi Employers Association, the Central Regional Employment and Labor Administration, and the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation's Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters.

The participating organizations promised to jointly work to minimize economic and social inequality that may arise during the carbon neutrality transition process, support early carbon neutrality entry of companies in the Province, and create a new industry ecosystem for generating new jobs and social value.

They also agreed to establish organic governance between labor, management, and government for fair and reasonable job transition, and to participate in developing various support measures including education and training.

Governor Kim said on the day, "As we have recently seen in the Suwon three-mother incident, there are many parts of labor and vulnerable population issues that cannot be resolved no matter how finely the public sector builds social safety nets. This is a problem that must be addressed together with the social community."

He continued, "Above all, our society must revive the spirit of mutual prosperity, inclusivity, and community," and added, "Just as people overcome harsh winters with strong physical health, the more difficult the economy becomes as it is now, we must strengthen the social community to have the strength to overcome this challenge."

Finally, Governor Kim emphasized, "I hope the Labor-Management-Government Consultative Council will continue to have substantive and meaningful dialogue going forward," and stated, "Even if there are differences of opinion, I would like Gyeonggi Province to demonstrate the resolve to contemplate what path we must take together, resolve small issues step by step, and put them into practice."

Meanwhile, the Provincial Labor-Management-Government Consultative Council plans to establish its role as a social dialogue institution by promoting future labor and job forums, cooperation with municipal and county councils, and strengthening job governance through human resource development committees.