Kim Younghoon: "No predetermined outcome on labor exemptions in Mega Special Zones... We'll seek a solution through dialogue"

National Assembly audit by the Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee

Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Younghoon said that, regarding dialogue among labor, management and the government over labor exemptions in Mega Special Zones, “The government will serve as a facilitator of dialogue, without predetermining the outcome, so that the parties can reach an outcome through dialogue.” With labor and management continuing to disagree over the labor exemptions, his remarks signal a commitment to finding a solution through social dialogue.

At a National Assembly audit by the Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee on October 13, Minister Kim said, “Since last September, single-issue social dialogue has been underway to discuss labor exemptions under the Mega Special Zones Act,” adding, “We will ensure that the development of democracy in our society takes root in the workplace as well.”

Minister Kim outlined four key directions for this year’s employment and labor policy: guaranteeing all citizens the opportunity to work; protecting fundamental rights in the workplace; closing labor market gaps and creating workplaces where workers and employers can thrive together; and ensuring that no workers are left behind in the industrial transition. “In response to changes in the labor market driven by the spread of artificial intelligence (AI) and low birth rates and an aging population, we will strengthen employment and labor policies across the board, from helping young people build their first career to reducing industrial accidents and closing labor market gaps,” he said.

Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Younghoon speaks at a meeting of relevant ministers on the implementation of the amended Trade Union Act at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on March 4, 2026. Photo by Jo Yongjun

He said the government would support young people in building their first career and connect them with companies that need AI skills, while expanding reemployment opportunities for middle-aged and older workers. It would also work with the National Assembly to explore measures to extend the retirement age in a way that aligns with youth employment. The government plans to expand support for balancing work and family life, including a 10 a.m. start-time program for parents raising young children and short-term parental leave, and to support these efforts through follow-up legislation and institutional reforms to employment insurance.

Minister Kim noted that the number of industrial accident fatalities in the first half of this year fell 11.8% from the same period last year, reaching its lowest level since records began. “We will expand technical and financial support for small businesses, and closely monitor companies where accidents recur, from identifying the causes to implementing measures to prevent them from happening again,” he stressed.

To reduce labor market gaps, he said the government would support collective bargaining between principal contractors and subcontractors and address the practice of splitting fixed-term contracts into shorter periods, as well as discrimination based on employment status. It will also improve working conditions for non-regular workers in the public sector and contracting practices, and develop measures for workers who have difficulty obtaining protection under existing systems, including AI and platform workers. “We will work to enact the Framework Act on the Rights of Working People by the end of the year and expand the social safety net through the K-Labor Welfare Chamber, while strengthening vocational training so that people from young adults to middle-aged and older workers can develop AI skills,” Minister Kim said.

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