Ex-spokesman for labor ministry to lead Korea Labor and Employment Service

Park Jong-pil, a former spokesman for the labor ministry, has become the new chief director of the Korea Labor and Employment Service (KLES).

Park, 57, began his three-year term on Monday, which will continue through April 20, 2028, according to officials.

The KLES is a state-run organization dedicated to fostering harmonious labor-management relations and improving employment and labor services.

In a statement released before his inauguration, Park said he would focus on making tangible changes.

“All work our organization does should be field-friendly,” he said. “I will pay more attention to the voices of workers. Based on their needs, I will focus on driving real changes.”

After graduating from Korea University with a history degree, he entered public service in 1995. While working, he studied public administration at Yonsei University as well as the University of Birmingham before earning a doctorate in business administration from Yeungnam University in 2021.

Known as a good communicator with the press, Park served as a spokesman for the Ministry of Employment and Labor twice ― between 2020 and 2025, with a brief stint as the ministry's director of planning and coordination during the period.

Established in 2007, the KLES has served as both a research center and a promoter of healthy labor-management relations. According to its website,its stated missions include developing support programs for businesses hiring migrant workers and promoting international labor exchanges.