"If the Labor Transition Act Pending in the National Assembly Passes, the 'Basic Labor Transition Plan' Will Be Established in the Second Half of Next Year"

22nd Job Committee Meeting Held... Agenda Submitted on 'Fair Labor Transition Status Report'
"September Proposal by Assembly Member Lee Su-jin Pending... If Passed, Basic Plan to Be Established Every 5 Years"

Kim Yong-gi, Vice Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Jobs, speaks at the 22nd plenary meeting of the Jobs Committee held on the morning of the 22nd at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The first five-year 'Basic Plan for Labor Transition,' reflecting the upward revision of the national greenhouse gas reduction target (NDC) and the restructuring of digital and low-carbon industries, will be prepared in the second half of next year. The government plans to establish the five-year plan immediately upon the passage of the 'Act on Support for Labor Transition due to Industrial Structure Transformation' (Labor Transition Support Act), which is currently pending in the National Assembly.

On the morning of the 22nd, the Ministry of Employment and Labor reported this content as an agenda item at the 22nd Job Committee held by the Presidential Committee on Jobs at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. The agenda included that the five-year labor transition basic plan will be announced in the second half of next year once the Labor Transition Support Act, pending alongside the 'Carbon Neutrality Act' to be enforced from March 25 next year, is processed.

If the Labor Transition Support Act, proposed by Lee Sujin of the Democratic Party of Korea on September 14, is enacted, the first plan will be immediately established reflecting changes in conditions such as the upward revision of the NDC (40% reduction by 2030 compared to 2018). Once the plan is established, the government expects to periodically identify and support industries and sectors requiring labor transition. A Ministry of Employment and Labor official explained, "If the Labor Transition Support Act currently pending in the National Assembly is passed, the first basic plan for labor transition will be established according to this law."

Furthermore, to actively promote the 'Fair Labor Transition Support Measures in Response to Industrial Structural Changes' project announced on July 22 next year, the government announced that it has allocated a related budget of 1.0385 trillion won across five ministries. This is to implement short-term measures such as job transition and reemployment support targeting workers in specific industries urgently needing support, such as coal-fired power generation and internal combustion engine vehicles. As part of the job transition measures, the government plans to newly establish next year industry-structure response specialized training, long-term paid leave training, labor transition specialized joint training centers, employment stability agreement subsidies, and labor-management cooperative training.

For reemployment support, starting next year, employers who need to adjust employment due to industrial structural transition and provide worker job change support services will receive a 'Labor Transition Support Fund' of up to 3 million won per month per worker for a maximum of 12 months. The support fund target is 2,300 people based on next year. Additionally, if labor and management of industrial transition companies agree on employment retention and job change support, services such as job transition education, training facility rental, and up to 500 million won in support covering 50% of employer investment costs will be provided for one year. The investment support target is 50 companies based on next year.

Moreover, the government plans to provide 1,300 labor transition consulting supports next year, establish a 'Labor Transition Analysis Center' to forecast low-carbon and digital shocks by industry and region, and operate a 'Labor Transition Support Subcommittee' composed of six ministries chaired by the Ministry of Employment and Labor every two months. In the first half of next year, social dialogue with the Economic, Social and Labor Council and the Carbon Neutrality Committee will also be pursued.

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