SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) - A leading South Korean business group on Thursday called artificial intelligence a critical tool for reviving the economy and urged companies to accelerate innovation alongside labor-market reforms.
The Korea Employers Federation (KEF) is hosting the two-day Korea CEO Forum in central Seoul from Feb. 5–6, bringing together executives from major companies to discuss how AI is reshaping industries and workplaces.
In opening remarks, KEF Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik said South Korea must sharply improve productivity and competitiveness to overcome economic challenges, describing AI as “the most effective breakthrough.”
“The gap in AI readiness is becoming a gap in corporate and national competitiveness,” Sohn said, adding that advances in AI are generating new industries and innovation while driving broad social and economic change.
He warned that managing labor-market disruption will be a major task as AI adoption accelerates, calling for solutions that promote corporate innovation, nurture talent and improve workers’ quality of life at the same time.
On labor relations, Sohn urged greater cooperation between management and labor based on legal principles and dialogue, saying stable industrial relations are essential for innovation and job security.
He also called on the government and National Assembly to quickly clarify implementation measures related to a revised labor union law set to take effect in March, citing concerns among companies about potential confusion.
Sohn urged caution over extending the statutory retirement age, saying it could discourage youth hiring and deepen labor-market disparities. Instead, he called for broader discussions on flexible options such as post-retirement reemployment and reform of seniority-based wage systems.
He also argued that rigid working-hour rules should be made more flexible to reflect differences across industries and job types.
The forum includes sessions on AI-driven industrial transformation. KAIST professor Kim Dae-sik is delivering a keynote on how generative AI and artificial general intelligence could reshape industrial structures and capital-labor relations.
Hyun Dong-jin, head of Hyundai Motor Group’s Robotics Lab, is presenting cases of AI and robotics-based business applications, while Kakao Pay CEO Shin Won-geun is discussing stablecoins and changes in digital finance.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.