Minister of Employment and Labor Lee, Jung Sik attended a roundtable hosted by the European Chamber
of Commerce in Korea (ECCK) at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul on September 7 (Wednesday).
The meeting was organized to help European companies operating in Korea better understand the direction
of the new government's major employment and labor policies, and listen to their laws and systems related
to working hours and difficulties they face while operating in Korea.
At the meeting attended by about 50 people including CEOs of European companies, Minister Lee delivered
a keynote speech on the direction of the new government's major employment and labor policies. His
remarks were followed by the ECCK’s explanation of European countries’ laws and systems related to
working hours and a Q&A session.
In his keynote speech, Minister Lee said the government’s labor market policy aims to reform systems that
do not meet the needs of the current labor market to make it more future-oriented and sustainable, and
help companies build a reasonable personnel system based on trust between labor and management.
He also stressed that the government will support the private sector for creating quality jobs and young
people, women, and the elderly for smoothly entering the labor market. To this end, he asked foreign
companies to also join hands with the government to strengthen public-private partnership for youth
employment.
At the meeting, the ECCK introduced major European companies’ working hours systems, such as France,
Germany, and the United Kingdom. In particular, these countries manage total working hours on a weeks’
basis, not a week basis like Korea, based on a consensus between labor and management.
Minister Lee said, "Foreign companies operating in Korea are important economic players that contribute to
the Korean economy, such as creating jobs." He added, "The government will provide support to ensure
stable labor-management relations and create quality jobs through continued communication and
cooperation with foreign companies."
He also stressed, "The government is currently proceeding with labor market reform to fix its working hours
system in a reasonable and balanced manner by learning lessons and best practices from European
countries.
For press inquiry, please contact spokesperson for the foreign media Park, Jihye(parkjihye66@korea.kr /
044-202-7763)