Labor minister stresses workforce transition at ASEAN+3 meeting

Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon attended the 14th ASEAN+3 Labor Ministers' Meeting in Bangkok on Thursday, emphasizing the need for a labor-centered industrial transformation to address rapid technological and environmental changes. The biennial gathering brought together employment representatives from South Korea, China, Japan and 11 ASEAN nations to discuss cooperation on human resource development amid digital and green transitions.

During his keynote address, Kim detailed Seoul's "Industrial Transformation Employment Stability Basic Plan," which aims to support stable employment and career re-entry for all citizens. He highlighted initiatives including training 10,000 immediate-deployment professionals in the AI sector through K-Digital Training and constructing an online smart vocational training platform known as STEP to enhance AI utilization skills across various industries. To ensure these skills lead to actual hiring, the government has developed and distributed over 1,100 National Competency Standards (NCS) that systematically organize the knowledge and techniques required for job performance.

"Even if one gains AI-related capabilities through such training, those capabilities must be properly certified to lead to actual employment," Kim said in his prepared remarks. He added that South Korea would actively share its NCS system and the integrated 'Employment 24' support platform with ASEAN members to help verify individual careers and reduce corporate hiring burdens.

The participating countries adopted a joint declaration committing to strengthen cooperation in quality employment, human resource development involving green and digital technologies, and sustainable social security systems. The document expressed gratitude for South Korea's continued support regarding vocational training and labor market information. As part of this broader engagement, Seoul currently operates approximately 80 official development assistance projects in the region focused on human resource development, valued at 35 billion won.

Kim held bilateral talks with counterparts from Thailand and Japan to discuss AI-related employment policies and extensions of retirement age, respectively, while meeting with the ILO director-general to review major employment agendas. On Friday, the minister is scheduled to hold a forum with young South Koreans employed in Thailand to gather feedback on overseas employment support programs.