President Lee Jae-myung on Thursday emphasized workplace safety, basic labor rights, and labor-management coexistence, pledging that "as a president of the Republic of Korea who came from a young factory worker background, I will respond to the voices of workers with a weighty sense of mission." Lee repeatedly stressed the importance of dialogue between labor and business, declaring, "There are no workers without companies, and no companies without workers," and raising his voice to say, "Let us break this outdated dichotomy that 'pro-labor is anti-business' and 'pro-business is anti-labor.'"
Lee made the remarks at a Labor Day ceremony held at Cheong Wa Dae, to which he invited labor-management representatives including Kim Dong-myung, chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU); Yang Kyung-soo, president of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU); and Son Kyung-shik, chairman of the Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF). It was the first time Cheong Wa Dae has hosted a Labor Day ceremony and the first time the FKTU and the KCTU have jointly attended a Labor Day event.
Noting that Labor Day has been designated as the first statutory public holiday, Lee encouraged workers by saying, "On this Labor Day, which has reclaimed its name after 63 years, we have gathered to honor the sweat and dedication of workers and the value of labor." He added, "I was a young 'worker,' and I am still proud of the name of worker. That is why today is all the more special, as it has reclaimed its name as 'Labor Day' rather than 'Workers' Day.'"
Referring to artificial intelligence (AI) reshaping industries and the restructuring of national competitiveness standards due to the climate crisis, Lee stressed, "Even if this is an unavoidable wave of change, finding a path of coexistence where we live together is the way to a sustainable tomorrow for us all." He also said, "I will never concede or compromise when it comes to workplace safety." Raising his voice, he added, "Placing profits and performance ahead of life and safety can never be acceptable. I will make it clear that protecting safety is not a cost or a choice, but a basic minimum duty that the state and companies must uphold."
Kim Dong-myung, chairman of the FKTU, also said, "In this era of massive civilizational transition driven by AI, for technological progress to become a blessing for everyone, guarantees of labor rights must keep pace." Yang Kyung-soo, president of the KCTU, said, "Ahead of massive transitions such as changes in the international order and the introduction of AI, the regression of the previous administration has produced extreme gaps and inequality," and called for "worker status and the name of worker to be granted to special employment and freelance workers."
Son Kyung-shik, chairman of the KEF, said it was "a meaningful year in which Labor Day has reclaimed its name after 63 years," but explained that "with uncertain trade conditions compounded by the Middle East conflict, businesses feel a great deal of uncertainty." Son added, "Let labor and management become partners who pool their strength for a re-leap."
