On May 15, the Ministry of Employment and Labor held a meeting at the Seoul Business Center to gather input from labor representatives, business leaders, and youth organizations.
Since November of last year, the government has been working with expert forums to develop policies aimed at preventing job shocks and creating new employment opportunities stemming from industrial transitions. The urgency arises from the rapid spread of AI, digitalization in manufacturing, and the restructuring of green industries, which could destabilize existing sectors and labor markets.
There is a growing awareness that while some jobs may quickly disappear during the transition, new roles may not be created in time to replace them. A notable example is the decline in jobs for workers at traditional power plants due to the shift toward renewable energy. Similarly, workers in the internal combustion engine vehicle sector face increasing pressure as the industry shifts to electric vehicles.
As job restructuring pressures mount, concepts like 'just transition' are gaining traction in the United States and the European Union. These regions are strengthening policies to mitigate labor shocks resulting from industrial changes, and there are calls for South Korea to adopt a more systematic transition strategy.
To this end, the government has been accumulating foundational data on the status of industrial transitions and their employment impacts through a first phase of forums held from November last year to March this year. The second phase, conducted in April and May, focused on five specialized areas: job outlook, employment safety nets, business support, vocational training, and social dialogue.
During the recent meeting, reports prepared by the expert forum and review materials from the labor ministry were discussed. The government plans to announce the basic employment stability plan next month, following public discussions and feedback from an expert committee on employment stability during industrial transitions.
Lim Young-mi, head of the Employment Policy Office, stated, "There is a gap between the speed of industrial transition and the readiness of the labor market. If we do not train the necessary talent in line with facility and equipment investments, successful transitions will be difficult." She added, "We will establish a robust support system in collaboration with relevant ministries to ensure that talented individuals can work in a timely manner throughout the entire cycle of industrial transition."
She emphasized the need to strengthen measures to ensure that workers' jobs and livelihoods remain stable during the transition period while also seizing new opportunities.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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