[Choi Kyungpil's Book Column] Transition of Labor Policy in the Post-Corona Era

Several years ago, a certain politician used the slogan "a life with evenings" as an election catchphrase, but in reality, only he returned home to have dinner. Many workers still desire an ordinary life where they can have dinner.

We have surpassed a national income of $30,000, and on July 2nd (local time), at the 68th Trade and Development Board meeting of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) held in Geneva, Switzerland, member countries unanimously agreed to change South Korea's status from a developing country to an advanced country.

So, are we implementing labor policies befitting an advanced country? Perhaps the guide to finding that answer is "The Betrayal of Labor Policy" by Dr. Kim Myungsoo, a legal scholar, published by Moabooks (CEO Lee Yonggil).

Above all, it could serve as a guide for labor policies in the post-COVID era. The strengths and weaknesses of labor policies, which might not have been revealed without COVID, have been discovered, making it perhaps easier to find solutions.

During the COVID pandemic, workers' lives have become sharply divided, and as self-employment collapses, jobs are rapidly decreasing.

On the other hand, regular workers remain unshaken despite the COVID and employment crises. While some self-employed sectors have seen increased income compared to before COVID, others are experiencing a surge in closures. Such crises might seem like someone else's story to high-income earners or the wealthy elite.

The author anticipates how the future of labor will unfold in the post-COVID era. He diagnoses income disparity, a major transformation of jobs, and corporate crises, with a particular focus on the serious issues surrounding youth welfare policies.

As the COVID disaster swept across the globe, each country has reached a crossroads where labor, income, distribution structures, and capitalism must be redefined. Now, how should governments perform the role of capital distribution beyond economic growth? The book also evaluates labor policies of past administrations.

Of course, it sharply critiques the current government's policies on non-regular workers, minimum wage, and the 52-hour workweek system, and especially harshly criticizes the National Assembly's power regarding the patchwork Occupational Safety and Health Act.

In welfare policies, it calls not only for equal opportunity through the enactment of the Disability Discrimination Act but also for addressing the individual needs of people with disabilities.

So, what are the author's proposed supplements to labor policy? As society rapidly changes, family and employment patterns have diversified, and the demands of individuals and companies have become more varied. The increase in single-person households has even led to related industries.

In this book, the author emphasizes the need for a transformation and alternatives in labor policy to prepare for disasters like COVID.

In 2006, David Coleman of the Population Research Institute at Oxford University mentioned South Korea as the first country on Earth likely to disappear due to low birth rates. The immediate challenge before us is how to overcome this crisis.

The answer, he argues, is a sense of community solidarity. Labor now requires a job revolution for all, based on the concept of communities living together and sharing rewards. Changes and crises in labor structures are spreading not only to low-wage, low-skilled workers but also to high-wage, high-skilled workers.

As COVID spread, the greatest job losses occurred in sectors with the highest physical proximity scores, such as leisure and travel. Therefore, fundamental measures are needed to build social safety nets and resolve labor market rigidity in response to changes in the labor market. Can we overcome the current crisis and once again find a "life with evenings"?

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Book Columnist Choi Kyungpil (Guest Reporter, Honam Bureau, Asia Economy)

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