Lee Jeong-sik "Entering Safety Advanced Country Within 5 Years... Supporting Semiconductor Workforce Training"

Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jeong-sik is reporting on work at the Environment and Labor Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 3rd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Lee Jeong-sik, Minister of Employment and Labor, emphasized that he will do his best to reduce major accidents so that South Korea can enter the ranks of advanced safety countries within the next five years. Regarding the severe labor shortage in new technology fields such as semiconductors, he stated that vocational training will be strengthened to quickly cultivate practical workers.

Minister Lee attended the plenary session of the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee on the 3rd and announced this plan, saying, "This is an important time to address various employment and labor issues in response to structural problems such as the dual labor market and polarization, as well as major changes like the Fourth Industrial Revolution and demographic shifts."

He said, "We will establish a roadmap by October to shift the paradigm of reducing major accidents to a 'voluntary and preventive' approach, aiming to enter the ranks of advanced safety countries within five years," and emphasized, "We will focus supervision on vulnerable areas prone to industrial accident fatalities and provide concentrated financial support amounting to 1.1 trillion won."

He continued, "Along with raising safety awareness through participation of labor and management at the workplace, we will support the establishment of safety and health management systems for each company to increase acceptance of the Serious Accident Punishment Act," and added, "We will also ensure that safety measures for workers in workplaces such as logistics centers during heatwaves are not neglected."

Minister Lee noted that there have been many recent complaints about labor shortages mainly in new technology fields like semiconductors, explaining, "We will expand innovative training based on corporate projects in collaboration with digital leading companies, and especially in the semiconductor sector, we will cultivate practical workers through training that is highly suitable for the field."

He added that by significantly increasing recruitment centered on experienced workers, they will expand support for youth work experience and prevent career interruptions for women. He also emphasized that customized job policies for vulnerable employment groups such as the elderly and persons with disabilities will be implemented without delay.

He stated that labor market reforms, one of President Yoon Seok-yeol’s pledges, are also being steadily promoted. Minister Lee said, "Since July, we have been organizing and operating the 'Future Labor Market Research Group' to derive proposals for reforming the working hours system and wage structure," and added, "We will support the derivation of institutional improvement tasks that reflect voices from the field."

He further said, "We will focus supervision on areas where labor rights are vulnerable, such as young part-time workers," and added, "We will regularly review the operation of the Fair Recruitment Procedures Act to establish a fair hiring order and prepare an institutional foundation to guarantee the rights of labor providers in the workplace."

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