Former Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Chairman Kim Ju-young Joins Democratic Party... "I Will Strive to Imprint the Value of Labor in Politics"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Kim Jooyoung, former chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), joined the Democratic Party on the 9th. He is the first labor figure to join the party in preparation for the April 15 general election.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Kim, originally from Sangju, Gyeongbuk, joined Korea Electric Power Corporation in 1986 and entered the labor movement in 1996. He served as chairman of the National Electric Power Workers' Union and vice chairman of the FKTU before becoming the 26th chairman of the FKTU in 2017.

During his tenure as FKTU chairman, Kim declared a policy alliance with presidential candidate Moon Jaein. After the Moon Jaein administration took office, he participated as a labor representative on the Economic, Social and Labor Council, aligning with the government's labor policies. He also took part in tripartite agreements on regularizing non-regular workers, reducing working hours, the Gwangju-type job model, and raising the minimum wage.

At the welcoming ceremony held at the National Assembly on the day of his joining, Kim said, “After much deliberation, I stand here today,” adding, “It was not an easy choice to finish the heavy responsibility as FKTU chairman and start a new political career.”

He stated, “Politics has not given hope to workers so far. As a party to policy agreements, I feel a collective responsibility to create policies for the working masses,” and expressed his aspiration, “I will contribute to the Democratic Party becoming a party that can represent workers.”

He continued, “This general election is a crucial one for not only the people but also the future of workers. It will determine whether the labor policies of the Moon Jaein government, which advocated a labor-respecting society, move forward without hesitation or become stranded,” adding, “We must solve the urgent issue of jobs in our society through politics.”

In the following Q&A session, when asked by reporters, “You criticized the Democratic Party’s expansion of the wage calculation base and flexible working hours while you were FKTU chairman. How did you decide to join the party?” Kim replied, “The party requested it. I joined with the determination to work on resolving the shortcomings going forward.”

Regarding concerns about compromising neutrality, he explained, “The way to solve many problems in our society is social dialogue. Since I participated as a labor representative, I think this is a different matter from joining the party.”

On his plans for running in the general election and the region, he said, “Since I just joined, I need to consult with the party. I will discuss and decide on the direction.”

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