Ministry of Health and Welfare Replaces Yoon Taek-geun on Fund Management Committee... Minnochoeng "Cannot Accept"

Ministry of Health Dismisses Committee Member Yoon Taek-geun for Disrupting Meeting
Minnocho "Ministry Ignores Opposition and Forces Meeting"

The government has decided to replace Yoon Taek-geun, a labor representative on the National Pension Fund Management Committee's Stewardship Responsibility Expert Committee.

On the 14th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that it had sent an official letter to the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), requesting the recommendation of a new candidate to replace Yoon Taek-geun (Senior Vice Chairman of KCTU), who was recommended by KCTU, by the 20th. The ministry also conveyed plans to dismiss Yoon from his position effective the 21st.

The Ministry explained that Yoon disrupted the meeting by shouting and throwing a microphone during the first 2023 Fund Management Committee meeting held on the 7th. The ministry's position is that he is not a suitable member as he engaged in conduct that damaged the dignity expected of a committee member.

At that time, the Fund Management Committee passed a proposal to change the composition of the Stewardship Responsibility Expert Committee (SREC), which decides on the exercise of voting rights for the National Pension. The proposal included reducing the number of part-time members appointed based on recommendations from subscriber groups such as employers, workers, and regional subscribers from six to three, and adding three members recommended by expert organizations. Although the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated this was to strengthen expertise, the labor sector opposed it, fearing weakened representation and increased government influence.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, KCTU issued a statement regarding Yoon’s dismissal, expressing that it "cannot accept" the decision. They also criticized the Ministry for "ignoring committee members' opinions to deliberate the agenda further and pushing through the vote despite opposition." KCTU plans to pursue legal action and other forms of resistance going forward.

In line with the decision to change the SREC composition, the Ministry appointed Lee In-hyung, Kang Sung-jin, and Yeon Tae-hoon, recommended by expert organizations, as new SREC members. Consequently, the SREC now consists of nine members: three full-time members recommended by subscriber groups, three part-time members, and three part-time members recommended by expert organizations, completing its second-term composition.

The Fund Management Committee is the highest decision-making body within the National Pension that determines the direction of voting rights exercise. The Minister of Health and Welfare serves as the chairperson of the committee. It includes five ex officio government members: vice ministers from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Employment and Labor, and the President of the National Pension Service. Additionally, 14 private members participate, including three experts recommended by employers, three by workers, six by regional subscribers, and two other experts.

Article 77-2 of the Enforcement Decree of the National Pension Act allows the Minister of Health and Welfare to dismiss a member if they are unable to perform their duties due to physical or mental disability, have committed misconduct related to their duties, are deemed unsuitable due to negligence or damage to dignity, or if the member voluntarily expresses difficulty in performing their duties.

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