Minister Kim Younghun Attends ILO Conference... Discusses AI and Labor Market Changes with Major Countries

Kim Younghun, Minister of Employment and Labor, will attend the 114th International Labour Organization (ILO) Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, as the head of the Korean government delegation, where he will engage in labor diplomacy under the theme of "Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (AI) Transition."

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 7th that Minister Kim will attend the 114th ILO Conference from June 8 to 10, participating in the plenary session and holding meetings with ministers from major countries. The ILO Conference is the highest decision-making body of the International Labour Organization, where representatives of governments, workers, and employers from 187 member states discuss international labor standards and major labor issues.

Kim Younghoon, Minister of Employment and Labor, is attending the Emergency Economic Headquarters Meeting and the Meeting of Ministers in Charge of Economy and Real Estate held on the morning of the 15th at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 10th, Minister Kim will deliver a government statement at the plenary session on the theme of "A Moment of Choice: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Quality Jobs," based on the report by ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo. He intends to emphasize the importance of a "human-centered AI transition," which prioritizes human dignity and the value of work throughout the AI transition process. Minister Kim will also introduce Korea's policy experiences in protecting workers' rights, strengthening social safety nets, and fostering social dialogue.

Other attendees from Korea at this conference include Hakyung Lee (Democratic Party of Korea), Kim Wisang (People Power Party), Kim Jooyoung (Democratic Party of Korea), Kim Hyungdong (People Power Party), and Kim Ji-hyung, Chairperson of the Economic, Social and Labor Council. The government expressed hope that the participation of the National Assembly and social dialogue bodies in the global labor agenda discussions would provide an opportunity to share the significance of social dialogue and cooperation with the international community.

During the conference, Minister Kim will also hold talks with ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo to discuss major labor issues and cooperation measures between Korea and the ILO. In particular, he plans to build upon the discussions held during Director-General Houngbo's visit to Korea in May, further detailing ways to share Korea's employment and labor policy experiences and expand cooperation in the AI sector.

Additionally, the "Korea-ILO Cooperation Project Partnership Reception" will be held to share the outcomes of cooperation in vocational training, youth employment, and industrial safety with delegations from key partner countries such as Cambodia, Paraguay, Vietnam, and Mongolia, and to discuss future development plans. Minister Kim will also attend the G7 Employment and Labor Ministers' Reception at the invitation of the French government and meet with labor ministers from the Netherlands and Spain to discuss AI-driven industrial transformation, social dialogue, and strategies for responding to labor market changes.

After the conference, Minister Kim, along with members of the National Assembly, the Economic, Social and Labor Council, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, and the Korea Employers Federation, will visit Germany to study the German model of resolving industrial transformation issues through social dialogue during the AI and digital transition. The government stated that through this visit, it aims to introduce Korea's policy of "industrial transformation with labor" and explore ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.