Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions chant during the “2026 World Labor Day Rally” in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Seoul on May 1. [Photo=Yonhap]
Large labor rallies were held across central Seoul on May 1, Labor Day, as unions marked the first Labor Day since it was designated a public holiday for the first time in 63 years. The country’s two biggest labor federations called for stronger protections for workers’ basic rights.
The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) held a Labor Day event in Yeouido, while the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) staged its rally near Gwanghwamun Station.
At the FKTU’s “136th World Labor Day Commemoration: National Workers’ Rally,” Chairman Kim Dong-myeong said the spread of artificial intelligence is reshaping jobs and that the climate crisis and industrial transition are changing how people work. He said the federation would pursue a “just transition” in which labor is not excluded and participates in decision-making.
KCTU Chairman Yang Kyung-soo, speaking at the “2026 World Labor Day Rally,” said Labor Day had “regained its name,” but added, “I couldn’t come with an unconditionally happy heart.” He called for basic labor rights to be guaranteed through laws and institutions and urged workers to unite through unions to withstand what he described as capital’s offensive.
The KCTU also issued a resolution saying the rights guaranteed under the constitution’s three basic labor rights, the Labor Standards Act and the Trade Union Act are not properly ensured for more than 10 million nonregular workers. It said it would push to make a general strike in July a success and to win direct bargaining with prime contractors.
The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) held a Labor Day event in Yeouido, while the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) staged its rally near Gwanghwamun Station.
At the FKTU’s “136th World Labor Day Commemoration: National Workers’ Rally,” Chairman Kim Dong-myeong said the spread of artificial intelligence is reshaping jobs and that the climate crisis and industrial transition are changing how people work. He said the federation would pursue a “just transition” in which labor is not excluded and participates in decision-making.
KCTU Chairman Yang Kyung-soo, speaking at the “2026 World Labor Day Rally,” said Labor Day had “regained its name,” but added, “I couldn’t come with an unconditionally happy heart.” He called for basic labor rights to be guaranteed through laws and institutions and urged workers to unite through unions to withstand what he described as capital’s offensive.
The KCTU also issued a resolution saying the rights guaranteed under the constitution’s three basic labor rights, the Labor Standards Act and the Trade Union Act are not properly ensured for more than 10 million nonregular workers. It said it would push to make a general strike in July a success and to win direct bargaining with prime contractors.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.