The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on November 12 that it has selected ten companies for the 2026 Labor-Management Culture Awards. The awards recognize companies that have been certified as excellent in labor-management culture over the past three years through document reviews, on-site inspections, and case presentations.
The Presidential Award went to Samyang Hwasung's Jeonju plant and SK Trichem. The Prime Minister's Award was given to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) and Hyorim Industry, while the Minister of Employment and Labor's Award was presented to Dong-A Pharmaceutical's Cheonan plant, DHL Korea, Myungjin Logistics, Samsung Bioepis, TIC, and the Korea Energy Technology Evaluation Institute.
Samyang Hwasung's Jeonju plant, which received the Presidential Award, faced a management crisis due to the global economic downturn and oversupply of petrochemical products from China. In response, labor and management collaborated to overcome the crisis. The labor union proposed forming a dedicated labor-management cooperation task force (TFT), and despite challenging business conditions, the company offered a wage increase proposal, leading the union to voluntarily decide to freeze wages. Subsequently, labor and management reviewed 58 issues together, including wage and welfare adjustments and employment stability, and signed a labor-management cooperation agreement to promote information sharing, productivity improvement, and cost reduction.
SK Trichem's case exemplifies overcoming crises through cooperation, including a major fire that caused over 10 billion won in property damage in 2024. After the fire, labor and management established a joint recovery task force, reducing the expected recovery period from three months to two months. This collaboration improved labor relations, resulting in a 73% reduction in negotiation time in 2025 compared to the previous year, and this year, they reached a wage and collective agreement without disputes.
The aT, which received the Prime Minister's Award, resolved conflicts between multiple labor unions and issues related to job-based pay through dialogue and concessions. The general staff union made concessions, leading to the integration of multiple unions into a single union, and they reached an agreement on job-based pay reform after discussions in a joint labor-management committee. They also improved the criteria for managing personnel on parental leave, contributing to increased new hiring.
Hyorim Industry has worked to mediate conflicts between multiple labor unions through dialogue and cooperation while promoting employment stability and organizational integration. Notably, in May 2025, they directly employed 120 subcontracted workers at the same site, improving working conditions. They are also committed to nurturing local talent by collaborating with regional universities and local governments to operate internships for international students and job training focused on practical skills.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for December 23. Award-winning companies will receive administrative and financial benefits, including exemptions from regular labor inspections and preferential bank loan rates for the next three years.
Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon stated, "The award-winning companies are exemplary cases of overcoming difficulties through dialogue and compromise instead of confrontation in the face of crises, demonstrating that labor and management can grow together. We will actively support the spread of a cooperative labor-management culture across industries and the creation of workplaces where labor is respected."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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