Budget minister discusses labor issues with umbrella union ahead of 2027 plan

Budget Minister Park Hong-keun speaks during an event held at the budget ministry's headquarters in Sejong, Thursday. Yonhap

Korea's budget minister met with the head of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), a major umbrella labor union, on Monday as part of the government's efforts to reflect workers' voices in next year's budget planning.

Budget Minister Park Hong-keun met with KFTU President Kim Dong-myeong to discuss a wide range of labor-related issues for Korea's long-term development, according to the Ministry of Planning and Budget.

"The government is currently making proactive efforts to address disparities in the labor market and ease employment instability for non-regular workers in the public sector," Park said during the meeting.

"The ministry also aims to bolster the social safety net while maintaining fiscal sustainability amid structural changes, including low birth rates, population aging and the industrial transformation driven by AI technologies," the minister added.

Park also said the ministry will closely examine measures to improve workers' treatment when it draws up the 2027 budget.

"The budget ministry will continue to maintain communication with various stakeholders, including the labor sector, and expand investment to improve working conditions and strengthen the social safety net," he added.