Yoon's '3 Major Reforms'... Confidence in Policy Implementation Accelerates Reform Pace

-Direct Response to Cargo Solidarity General Strike... Securing National Momentum with Rising Approval Ratings
-Presidential Office Focuses on Parliamentary Cooperation for Reform Tasks and Expanding Public Consensus

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] President Yoon Suk-yeol has declared that he will definitely proceed with the three major reforms in labor, pensions, and education without worrying about popularity or votes, signaling that reforms are likely to accelerate going forward. Although President Yoon officially announced the promotion of the three major reforms in his policy speech at the National Assembly last May, he was unable to publicize them due to the opposition-controlled National Assembly and low approval ratings. However, it is interpreted that he gained confidence after boosting his approval ratings by directly confronting the nationwide general strike of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Public Transport Workers' Union Cargo Solidarity (hereafter Cargo Solidarity).

On the 15th, at the first National Task Inspection Meeting held at the Blue House State Guest House, President Yoon stated, "The three major reforms are not a choice but a necessity for the sustainability of our country," adding, "They are for future generations." He emphasized, "Reform is an unpopular task, but we must not avoid it and must accomplish it."

President Yoon’s repeated mentions of his reform will during his first dialogue with the public underscore that ‘reform’ is the core of the Yoon administration’s national agenda. When he mentioned the promotion of the three major reforms, he also said, "We will carry them out without avoiding historical responsibility and mission," which is in the same context. President Yoon himself has shown strong confidence in policy promotion, taking the Cargo Solidarity general strike as an opportunity. The significant impact comes from treating the Cargo Solidarity’s collective transport refusal as ‘illegal’ and resolving it according to law and principles, thereby securing momentum for national governance.

Concerns that the momentum of national governance would decline if reform promotion is delayed are also reflected. President Yoon said, "We must start now so that the final version of the reforms will come out at the end of this government or the beginning of the next." A Blue House official said, "Since these reform tasks all require legislation and long-term efforts to gain public consensus, if the framework is not established from now on, the Yoon administration may leave no achievements behind."

As the government’s policy credibility is rising and influencing national approval ratings, there is also a calculation to pressure the opposition parties. On the 16th, a Gallup Korea poll showed that President Yoon’s positive job performance rating reached the mid-30% range (36%) for the first time in about five months. This broke out of the 20% mid to 30% low range box that had continued since mid-July.

The Blue House and government are expected to focus on expanding public consensus while seeking cooperation from the Democratic Party of Korea to promote the three major reform tasks. First, the government plans to legislate a revision of the Labor Standards Act, which includes proposals for wage and working hours reform, by the first half of next year. Amendments related to improving the dual structure of the labor market, such as revisions to the Dispatch Act, will be publicized through social dialogue starting in the second half of next year.

Meanwhile, the Gallup Korea approval rating survey was conducted from the 13th to the 15th, targeting 1,001 people nationwide aged 18 and over. The margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. The survey was conducted via telephone interviews with 90% mobile and 10% landline, and the response rate was 10.9%. For more details, please refer to the website of the Central Election Survey Deliberation Commission.

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