Labor Ministry renamed to focus on creating jobs

By Lee Hyo-sik

Staff reporter

The Ministry of Labor has changed its name to the "Ministry of Employment and Labor" to play a central role in the government-wide efforts to create jobs, shifting from its earlier task of mediating between management and labor during Korea's rapid industrialization. Previously, in 1981, the Office of Labor was elevated to the Ministry of Labor.

The ministry held a signboard hanging ceremony, presided by Minister Yim Tae-hee, at its headquarters inside the Gwachon Government Complex, south of Seoul, Monday.

In a keynote speech, Yim said the ministry should place top priority on helping university graduates and other jobseekers find work. "All ministry workers need to change their mindset to improve the quality of civil services and become friendlier to the public, particularly those who are searching for jobs. Our vision is to help all Korean citizens wanting to work to find jobs and receive a proper reward for their labor."

The minister said a growing number of senior citizens have become economically active as a result of the population rapidly aging and low birthrates, adding the ministry should make an all-out effort to assist them in achieving their full potential in the workplace.

The Korean economy has recovered fast from the worldwide economic crisis over the past year, thanks largely to robust exports by Samsung Electronics and other large corporations. But businesses have remained reluctant to hire new workers amid continued economic uncertainty, worsening the labor market to the level unseen since the 1997-98 Asian financial market meltdown.

Against this backdrop, the Lee Myung-bak Administration has been promoting job creation as its main concern, trying to generate more positions for those in their 20s and 30s.

Hours before the ceremony, Minister Yim visited a job placement agency, mostly for daily laborers, in southwestern Seoul to hear about the difficulties facing temporary workers and those in the job placement business. He promised to introduce a host of labor market-friendly policy measures, including the provision of the state-run unemployment insurance coverage for non-permanent workers.

As part of efforts to publicize the ministry's new name, Yim participated in a forum later in the day to hear about how the ministry should perform from private-sector experts. The minister also gave a lecture on the job market and other relevant issues at Yonsei University.

On Tuesday, he will hold a series of meetings with human resource executives of Samsung Electronics and other large companies to discuss ways of creating more positions for university graduates. The minister also plans to engage in a debate with a panel of eight university students on a range of issues.

On Wednesday, he will host a ceremonial event at the Seoul Plaza, designed to promote the creation of socially responsible enterprises.