Received a report from the Ministry of Employment and Labor and ordered a high-intensity response “Concentrate on the three major reforms and the public perception agenda”
“There is no future for the youth of the Republic of Korea without the end of the harmful effects of vested interests and powerful labor unions.”
On the 20th, President Yoon Seok-yeol emphasized in relation to labor union accounting, which has been refusing to submit accounting data, saying, “The starting point of union reform is transparency in union accounting.” Following the plan to suspend government subsidies, President Yoon ordered a review of the government’s tax credit for union fees from scratch. He emphasized the unwavering performance of labor reform, the first task of the three major reforms, even using the expression ‘end’ of strong unions.
In a weekly meeting with Prime Minister Han Deok-soo held at the Yongsan Presidential Office that day, President Yoon said, “We have no choice but to take stern action once morest the act of denying the rule of law and refusing to disclose the details of the use while spending hundreds of billions of won in government subsidy, which is the blood tax of the people. “This was announced,” said Lee Do-woon, spokesman for the Presidential Office.
On the followingnoon of the same day, President Yoon received a report from Employment and Labor Minister Lee Jung-sik on the submission of labor union account books and future countermeasures. According to Minister Lee, President Yoon emphasized that “fair labor reform cannot be achieved without the union’s accounting transparency being secured, and there is no future for the youth without the end of strong vested unions.” When the majority of the unions did not respond to the government’s request to submit materials such as union accounting books, President Yoon ordered a comprehensive report, saying, “Accounting transparency is the starting point of reform,” and ordered an intense response, including the suspension of government subsidies, once more.
President Yoon said, “The starting point of labor reform is the rule of law between labor and management. The rule of law between labor and management is to protect the democracy and autonomy of trade unions and the right to know of union members,” Minister Lee said, emphasizing that “this is ultimately helpful to the socially vulnerable and all workers.” President Yoon urged, “Consistently, strongly and actively, without any setbacks.”
Celebrating his second year in power, President Yoon, who is putting on three major reform drives, is making an all-out war on reforms that are highly perceived by the people, including the ‘MZ generation (millennials + Z generation)’ such as youth jobs. An official from the presidential office said, “President Yoon’s perception is that it is difficult to discuss jobs for future generations over the issue of strong unions.” On the same day, President Yoon ordered Prime Minister Han to revitalize the data economy, saying, “It is far from nurturing new industries that will be responsible for the future, such as the era of artificial intelligence (AI), without revitalizing the data economy.”
While focusing on the three major reform tasks, President Yoon is reported to have ordered, “The three major reforms should not increase the number of items with too many agendas,” and “choose and focus on issues that the people feel desperate.” The purpose is to focus on the reform agenda that the people can feel, while the ministers and vice ministers directly explain the policy tasks to the people.
Reporter Jeon Joo-young aimhigh@donga.com
