Minister of Employment and Labor (MOEL) Lee, Jung Sik held a meeting with the CEOs of three major
shipbuilding companies (Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Daewoo Shipbuilding &
Marine Engineering) at 1:20 p.m. on August 30 (Tue).
President Yoon emphasized the need to look for measures to improve a sharp wage gap between
contractors and their subcontractors on August 1, which was brought to light by the recent strike of
workers at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. This meeting therefore was organized by MOEL to
request the industry join forces with the government in restoring the competitiveness of the shipbuilding
industry and addressing the polarization of the labor market.
Minister Lee said that the government's measures aim to solve the polarization of the shipbuilding industry
through cooperation between shipbuilding companies and their subcontractors based on autonomy and
solidarity; and spread the culture of fair trade between both sides; improve the working conditions and
environment for subconstract workers, and support the overhaul of the compensation system for workers
based on their job and mastery of skills.
Since the labor market dualism is intertwined with various other issues, a short-term solution is hard to
come by. In this regard, the minister said that while readily available measures will be promptly put into
practice, the government will also set up a consultative body among government, stakeholders and experts
to come up with reasonable measures for fundamental issues that labor market reform.
He requested the prime contractors, which hold the key to addressing this issue, actively participate and
play a leading role in the consultative body.
The minister will also have a meeting with five subcontractors at 4:00 on the same day to listen to their
grievances and discuss how to address the labor market dualism.
For press inquiry, please contact spokesperson for the foreign media Park, Jihye(parkjihye66@korea.kr /
044-202-7763)