Labor ministry hosts town hall to hear youth job concerns directly

The labor ministry held a town hall meeting with major union leaders on Tuesday to address youth employment challenges, driven by the need to hear directly from young workers as difficulties in securing stable jobs persist. Minister Kim Young-hoon hosted the event at Ferum Tower in Seoul alongside the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.

About 70 participants attended, ranging from university students and job seekers to regular and irregular workers across manufacturing, services, broadcasting and education sectors. Five young workers detailed their field experiences, followed by an explanation of current policies and a dialogue session between the minister and attendees.

Participants cited a shortage of decent jobs, wage and welfare gaps based on company size and employment type, and instability driven by the artificial intelligence transition. They reached a consensus that institutional support is necessary to ensure working conditions do not vary depending on individual circumstances.

An attendee highlighted the need for an economic rights protection system as the platform economy expands. Kim responded that jobs for young people are a starting point for building lives and dreaming of the future.

"We must not let young individuals bear alone the difficulties stemming from the structure of the labor market, especially now when industrial environments are changing rapidly due to the AI transformation," Kim said. He pledged to widen opportunities for young people to work while ensuring thick guarantees of rights at the workplace.

The minister promised to continue communication with labor groups and young stakeholders to deliver concrete policies and results, emphasizing that today's gathering should not be a one-off event.