Kim Moon-su "Protection for Labor Vulnerable Groups and Expansion of Labor Standards Act Needed"

"Yellow Envelope Act Conflicts with Existing Laws... No Harm Should Occur"

Kim Moon-soo, the nominee for Minister of Employment and Labor, identified the protection of vulnerable workers as the most critical task to focus on. While emphasizing the need to apply the Labor Standards Act to workplaces with fewer than five employees, he expressed a cautious stance.

On the 1st, upon arriving at the task force (TF) office preparing for the confirmation hearing at the Seoul Gangnam branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Kim told reporters this.

Kim Moon-soo, nominee for Minister of Employment and Labor, is answering reporters' questions on the 1st at the Seoul Gangnam Employment and Labor Office, where the hearing preparation office is located.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

At this occasion, Kim pointed to the protection of vulnerable workers as the most urgent issue, explaining the importance of examining the actual conditions of workers who struggle without union organization. He said, "Even if we conduct a fact-finding survey to identify what difficulties exist and how to resolve them, it is not easy to achieve results," adding, "I want to focus our capabilities on these areas."

Regarding the gradual extension of the Labor Standards Act to workplaces with fewer than five employees, he said, "The necessity is very high." He explained, "If workers benefit, the employer does not suffer losses, and if the employer profits, the workers do not suffer losses either," and added, "I hope for labor, management, and government to develop as one community."

However, he noted that a cautious approach is necessary as difficulties may arise for workplaces during the implementation process. Kim stated, "There are many conflicts and contradictions between protecting the vulnerable and sustaining businesses," and said, "How to resolve this well and what our government should do is a difficult issue."

On the issue of applying differentiated minimum wages by industry, he expressed the position that "sufficient discussion is necessary." His argument emphasized the need for ample dialogue rather than simply pushing through. He also reiterated the importance of communication, saying, "Expanding dialogue and communication without limits is important for the development of labor culture and labor-management relations."

Regarding the Yellow Envelope Act (amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act), he explained, "If laws are made focusing only on labor law, the constitutional and civil law systems could be shaken," adding, "If conflicts arise with existing labor laws, it should not cause confusion that ultimately harms workers."

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