Gyeonggi Province in the Era of AI and Digital Transformation... Identifying Policy Tasks to Protect the Rights and Interests of Vulnerable Workers

Gyeonggi Province has established a policy foundation to provide robust protection for vulnerable workers amid the rapidly changing labor environment driven by the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation.

Gyeonggi Province and the Working Citizens' Research Institute (Director Kim Jongjin) held the final report presentation and discussion meeting for the "Survey and Policy Research Service for Developing Worker Rights Protection Projects in Gyeonggi Province" on the 11th at the seminar room of the Gyeonggi Credit Guarantee Foundation. Photo by Gyeonggi Province

원본보기 아이콘

Gyeonggi Province and the Working Citizens' Research Institute (Director Kim Jongjin) held a final report presentation and discussion session on the 11th at the seminar room of the Gyeonggi Credit Guarantee Foundation for the "Survey and Policy Research Project for Developing Programs to Protect Workers' Rights and Interests in Gyeonggi Province." The study was conducted to identify the practical needs of vulnerable groups such as women, young people, older adults, and platform workers, and to discover policy tasks that respond to changes in Gyeonggi Province's industrial and employment structure.

In the keynote presentation, Park Youngsam, Research Fellow at the Korea University Labor Research Institute, analyzed that the Gyeonggi labor market is shifting from a manufacturing-centered structure to one focused on health and welfare services and science and technology services, and emphasized the need for protection measures based on the actual location of business establishments rather than workers' place of residence.

Research Fellow Park Sungkuk pointed out labor-site issues across different stages of the life cycle based on in-depth interview results. He stated that it is urgent to establish a support system linking the central and local governments, as well as an effective labor policy delivery system, in order to address issues such as hiring discrimination against women, the failure to draw up employment contracts for young people, and employment instability among older adults.

Kim Jongjin, Director of the Working Citizens' Research Institute, announced the "15 Major Proposals for Gyeonggi-Style Labor Policy" and presented concrete policy measures, including: a pilot project to introduce and expand a 4.5-day workweek; support for "work stoppage during heat waves and compensation for losses" in response to the climate crisis; vacation support for workers at businesses with fewer than five employees; and a minimum life-hours guarantee system for ultra-short-time workers.

In particular, Director Kim proposed restructuring the Labor Rights and Interests Center into a specialized institution that comprehensively supports all "working people," including platform workers and freelancers, and also presented directions for innovation in labor administration in preparation for the future delegation of labor inspection authority to local governments.

In the subsequent discussion, Cho Sangki, Head of the Labor Rights and Interests Division of Gyeonggi Province, and Kim Jinsuk, Director of the Ansan Non-Regular Workers Support Center, attended and discussed the feasibility of applying the proposed tasks in the field and ways to enhance cooperation with cities and counties.

Cho Sangki, Head of the Labor Rights and Interests Division of Gyeonggi Province, said, "This study is an important process for gauging the direction Gyeonggi Province should take amid the changing labor environment," adding, "We will closely review the proposed tasks and actively utilize them in establishing effective labor policies that residents of the province can tangibly feel."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.