Lee Jae-myung Urges Caution on Some Union Demands

President Lee Jae-myung, one day before Labor Day, pointed out that excessive demands from some labor unions could negatively affect the overall job market. Presiding over a senior and advisory staff meeting at the Blue House, the President called for labor-management coexistence and a sense of responsibility. He stated that if some unions prioritize only their own interests and attempt to force unreasonable demands, they will face public criticism, causing relative deprivation and practical harm to other unorganized workers and those at partner companies.

The President emphasized that workers' strength comes from solidarity, stressing the urgent need for a sense of responsibility for a society where people live together, rather than a self-centered attitude.

Furthermore, the President urged a change in labor-management relations, calling on employers to treat workers as management partners and on labor to make reasonable demands that consider industrial competitiveness, in line with the major transition brought about by AI.

The government pledged to show exemplary leadership as the largest employer in the public sector and promised to improve working conditions for non-regular workers, while focusing administrative efforts on securing workplace safety and strengthening on-site inspections to foster a country where labor is respected.

The President highly praised the meaning of restoring the name 'Labor Day' to the legal holiday starting this year and expressed hope for a culture where rights and responsibilities coexist.