Yoon Visits Korean Federation of Trade Unions to 'Embrace Labor Sector'

"I Will Be a Friend of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions"

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is giving a greeting speech at a policy meeting held at the Korean Federation of Trade Unions in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 15th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporters Kum Boryeong and Park Juni] Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, has taken steps to embrace the labor sector by stating that he will "become a friend of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU)."

On the morning of the 15th, Yoon visited the FKTU headquarters in Seoul and held a meeting with its leadership, saying, "Workers must be recognized as the foundation and main actors of society." The main issues Yoon raised during the meeting included the minimum wage system, the 52-hour workweek, and the application of labor standards law to workplaces with fewer than five employees.

Yoon explained, "Kim Dong-myeong, the FKTU chairman, previously said that social agreements unilaterally driven by the government or labor power are unsustainable, and I have taken that to heart as well," adding, "The state should respect the freedom of labor and management and assist them in autonomously achieving a grand compromise and harmony for mutual coexistence."

Initially, Yoon faced criticism from the labor sector for maintaining a negative stance on the minimum wage system, including remarks about "120-hour workweeks" and "manual labor." However, recently, he has shown signs of shifting toward a pro-labor position. At the Kwanhun Club debate held the day before, Yoon took a step back from his previous stance by stating, "It is impossible to roll back labor conditions such as the minimum wage system or the 52-hour workweek, which have already been set and are being enforced." On the same day, Chairman Kim also urged Yoon's pro-labor approach, saying, "Attacks on the fundamental value of labor are a historical frame of the Republic of Korea and regression will never be tolerated," and "We will make the reflection and evaluation of policies on seven key issues, including laws protecting workers in workplaces with fewer than five employees and laws ensuring job security even if the subcontractor's owner changes, the most important criteria in the presidential election."

Since the FKTU has about 1.4 million members, Yoon's visit is interpreted as an effort to court the labor vote. The FKTU has officially endorsed former President Lee Myung-bak and President Moon Jae-in in past presidential elections but has not officially declared support for any candidate this time. Yoon has actively reached out, including holding a private meeting with Chairman Kim on the 4th. This visit was also reportedly promoted by Im I-ja, the head of the functional division of Yoon's election campaign committee, who is a former FKTU member.

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