Reforms Focused on the Future... Yoon Finds Foundation in 'Cheongnyeon'

-National Tasks and 3 Major Reforms' Real Beneficiaries Are 'Youth'... Presidential Office "All Government Policies Focus on the 'Future'"
-Meeting with Young Scientists at Cheongwadae Guesthouse on the 22nd... Promised to Be a 'Supporter' and Mentioned a Fair Compensation System

President Yoon Suk-yeol is encouraging attendees, including presidential science scholarship students and international science Olympiad awardees, at the "Dialogue with Future Scientists" held on the 22nd at the Blue House State Guest House. /

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] President Yoon Suk-yeol is expanding his engagement with the ‘MZ Generation (Millennials + Generation Z).’ This comes from the recognition that the drop in government approval ratings to the 20% range was partly due to the change of heart among people in their 20s and 30s, and the understanding that the primary beneficiaries of reform policies are the youth. The presidential office explained that the directions of the ‘three major reforms (labor, pension, education),’ as well as efforts to strengthen industrial competitiveness, increase exports, and real estate policies, are all focused on the ‘future.’

On the morning of the 22nd, President Yoon met with the 2022 Presidential Science Scholars and winners of the International Science Olympiad at the Blue House State Guest House, promising support for scientific talent and stating, "The government will be a strong ally for future scientists." Under the theme of ‘Dialogue with Future Scientists,’ President Yoon emphasized the importance of research autonomy, fairness in evaluation, and a just compensation system.

Recently, President Yoon has been actively targeting people in their 20s and 30s. At the national agenda review meeting held live on the 15th, he invited many young people in their 20s and 30s to ask questions and responded directly. On the 20th, he called 200 young people to the State Guest House to explain the government’s stance on labor reform. President Yoon said, "My decision to run for president was driven by concerns that our future generations might lose hope in society because they are not receiving fair compensation and opportunities due to vested interest cartels," adding, "Policies for youth are important, but I will also expand youth participation in national governance."

This approach appears to be based on the judgment that the success or failure of President Yoon’s three major reforms depends on the support of the ‘youth’ demographic. The rationale behind pushing labor reform reflects the logic that creating systems unfavorable to employers would reduce investment and consequently decrease labor opportunities, meaning the reforms are ultimately for the future of today’s youth.

The same applies to pension and education reforms. Regarding the National Pension, young workers in their 20s and 30s, the so-called ‘MZ Generation,’ perceive the ‘National Pension contributions’ deducted monthly from their salaries as money they will never get back. Recently, the presidential office reviewed the results of a perception survey on the National Pension among youth conducted by the Sound Fiscal Forum under the non-profit private think tank, the National Management Strategy Institute. In this survey, 67.2% of 115 respondents in their 20s answered that "the National Pension is a system unfavorable to youth."

In political circles, President Yoon’s approach is seen as a process to raise policy understanding among young people, as his strong reform will could be perceived as a burden by those in their 20s and 30s. The intention is to listen to the vivid opinions of youth, adjust policy directions and pace accordingly, and build the completeness of reform tasks based on their support.

However, it is regrettable that communication for reform has been one-sided. Contact with the labor sector, which is both the target and partner of labor reform, remains nonexistent. When the ruling party and government began revising the Labor Union Act to increase transparency in union financial operations, including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the two major unions?the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and KCTU?immediately opposed it. The presidential office has not shown any intention to engage in direct dialogue with the labor sector at this time.

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