President Lee: "I Do Not Take the Side of Workers Unilaterally" in Response to Alleged Illegal Union Activities at Construction Sites

"Determining Case by Case Whether Actions Are Legitimate Labor Rights or Illegal and Unfair Practices"

"Will Instruct the Minister of Employment and Labor to Conduct Inspections"

"Doing Our Best to Find a Fair Balance of Interests in Labor-M

President Lee Jae-myung announced on September 4 that he would instruct the Ministry of Employment and Labor to conduct on-site inspections in response to concerns over alleged illegal activities by labor unions at construction sites. In particular, President Lee emphasized, "I do not unilaterally side with workers," adding that he is committed to finding a fair and rational balance in labor-management relations.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Senior Secretaries Meeting held at the Blue House on September 3, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

On the same day, President Lee retweeted a post on X (formerly Twitter) urging the government to pay attention to illegal actions by labor unions in the construction industry, stating, "Whether the happenings at construction sites fall within the legitimate exercise of labor rights under the three basic labor rights, or amount to illegal or unjust acts, is something that must be determined based on specific circumstances."

He further added, "First of all, I will ask the Minister of Employment and Labor to conduct an inspection into potential illegal acts at construction sites," and said, "If there are specific cases, I would appreciate it if you could send the information to the Minister’s office."

President Lee also reiterated his position that he will not take sides on labor-management issues. He remarked, "Although both the Minister of Employment and Labor and I come from a labor background, we do not unilaterally side with workers." He continued, "Just as entrepreneurs are appointed for industrial roles, I want to underscore that we are doing our utmost to ensure a fair and rational balance when coordinating interests between labor and management."

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