Korea needs social inclusiveness, 'flexicurity' for post-pandemic future
Song Ho-keun, a chair professor at Pohang University of Science and Technology, speaks during the Korea Forum 2020, hosted by The Korea Times and its sister paper the Hankook Ilbo, at the Shilla Seoul, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon
By Kang Seung-woo
Korea needs to build an inclusive society and adopt “flexicurity” in preparation for the post COVID-19 era, according to Song Ho-keun, a chair professor at Pohang University of Science and Technology (Postech), Tuesday. Flexicurity is a term coined in Denmark to describe a system that promotes both flexibility and security in the labor market.
Praising the country's disease control measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the renowned sociologist called on the nation to adopt new concepts regarding economy and growth.
“In the wake of COVID-19, we could successfully respond to the virus thanks to the nation's social inclusiveness that I believe is higher than that of any other country including so-called advanced ones. In addition, 'flexicurity' ― for example, the government-offered emergency disaster relief funds ― is helping people pull through the pandemic,” Song said during the Korea Forum 2020 at the Shilla Seoul. The annual forum is hosted by The Korea Times and its sister paper the Hankook Ilbo.
He said the pandemic showed that contemporary civilization and its key achievements, such as mobility and global networking, has limits, adding a paradigm shift will come with more focus on contactless services, regional integration and ecology.
When it comes to e-commerce and online services, Song said Korea is well equipped with infrastructure for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, so it needs to create opportunities in areas where occupational structure is expected to be affected.
“In the fields of education, business, religion, information technology-based administration and telemedicine, such a tendency toward contactless services is expected to spread,” he said.
As for the economy, Song suggested that the nation set up three economic free zones in cities in which the population surpasses 1 million people. “After establishing three economic free zones in Incheon, Pohang and Ulsan, the government needs to provide benefits to companies going there,” he said.
As for reshoring, a process of returning production and manufacturing facilities back to Korea which is currently gaining traction, the government is required to make an effort to help returning firms make a soft landing, he added.
“Korea has gained international recognition through (its handling of) the coronavirus pandemic, so a large number of companies are likely to arrive here,” Song said.
“To this end, openness is a prerequisite, meaning that those companies' with foreign workers should be allowed to come here as well.”
The sociologist also advised Korea to guarantee flexicurity for people in low-income brackets.
“While creating a new employment insurance, the government needs to guarantee a minimum cost of living, public housing and remote medical services,” Song said.
Lastly, Song stressed the importance of “eco-growth.”
“In order to save global civilization, we need to come up with what we have to do,” he said, proposing a “30-30-30 Green New Deal Project,” under which the nation increases the portion of renewable energy by 30 percent and energy efficiency by 30 percent, while cutting power production by coal-fired plants by 30 percent.