Lee Jae-myung "Nationwide Expansion of Environmental Officer Title... Comprehensive Survey of Rest Facilities"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] On the 8th, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "We are considering expanding the title of Environmental Officer not only in Seoul but nationwide."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

That morning, at a meeting with Environmental Officers in Songpa-gu, Lee conveyed through a message read by Democratic Party lawmaker Nam In-soon, "I believe that the title should contain respect for the work and the people," and expressed this intention. Lee was originally scheduled to attend the meeting in person but postponed all schedules after undergoing a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test due to possible close contact with a COVID-19 confirmed case at an event the previous day.

Lee said, "I heard that the official title 'Environmental Officer' was the result of labor-management negotiations of the Seoul city union," emphasizing, "Changing social perception of sanitation workers begins with using the correct title."

He added, "The reality is that rest facilities are still located in underground mechanical rooms, next to parking lots, under stairs, or inside restrooms," and said, "The government, local governments, and public institutions should conduct a full survey and make improvements."

He continued, "The right to rest is a fundamental right guaranteed by the constitution to all citizens," adding, "The harder you work, the more comfortably you should rest, and the more insecure your work, the more compensation you should receive."

Lee stated, "Supporting the weak and restraining the strong is the role of politics for fairness, and respecting labor is a core value of a fair society," and said, "I will also make efforts to improve treatment so that they can take more pride."

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