President Lee: "We Must Create Conditions Where Workers Can Accept Employment Flexibility"

Inaugural Ceremony of the First Economic, Social and Labor Committee on March 19
Lee: "Companies Must Bear Corresponding Responsibilities for the Benefits of Employment Flexibility"

On the 19th, President Lee Jae-myung proposed "employment flexibilization" and "strengthening the social safety net" as the direction for labor reform. However, he emphasized that reforms should avoid demanding sacrifices from one side, and instead, focus on creating an environment in which workers can accept employment flexibility.

President Lee attended the inauguration ceremony of the first Economic, Social and Labor Council held at the Blue House that morning and stated, "While securing employment flexibility can be a burden, we can move toward strengthening the social safety net and increasing the number of stable, regular jobs within companies."

President Lee pointed out, "From the perspective of regular workers, there is the perception that 'being fired is a death sentence,' and in reality, that is often the case. This leads companies to find it difficult to respond flexibly if they hire regular workers, so they avoid hiring regular workers altogether." He added, "It seems like a vicious cycle in every aspect."

President Lee Jae-myung listens to an expert presentation at the labor policy discussion held at the Blue House to mark the launch of the first Economic, Social and Labor Council on the 19th. March 19, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

President Lee continued, "The problem is distrust. Decades of accumulated distrust, stemming from uncertainty about what might happen if concessions are made, are difficult to resolve easily. Even though the reality is difficult, the path we must take is clear. Change is necessary," thus expressing his determination for reform.

As a solution to these issues, President Lee explained, "We must create conditions in which workers can accept the employment flexibility that companies seek. We need to establish a reasonable environment that everyone can accept." He further added, "There must be measures that go beyond simply compensating for the problems that may arise from concessions on employment flexibility."

President Lee also stated, "Strengthening the social safety net entails costs, and companies benefit from employment flexibility. It is desirable for them to bear a corresponding share of the burden."

However, President Lee made it clear that coercive and unilateral reform measures should be avoided. He said, "At the Economic, Social and Labor Council, there are many cases where people refuse to participate because they are forced to vote and accept decisions that go against their own will. This time, let's avoid making decisions that way. Let's start by talking and recognizing each other."

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