[Sports Seoul | Senior Reporter Sangbae Lee] On the morning of the 10th, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik attended the Korean Federation of Trade Unions’ 80th anniversary ceremony and Day of Support. He expressed gratitude for the FKTU’s eight decades of effort toward a society that respects labor and urged the National Assembly to institutionalize social dialogue.
In his congratulatory remarks, Woo said, “I sincerely congratulate the Korean Federation of Trade Unions, a symbol of South Korea’s labor movement, on its 80th anniversary.” He added, “I believe Chairman Kim Dong-myung, the first FKTU leader to secure a third consecutive term, will play a major role backed by the strong trust of union members.”
Woo continued, “No one understands better than I do the role the FKTU has played in industrialization, democratization, and the protection of labor rights.” He recalled, “I still vividly remember grappling with legislation on non-regular workers as a freshman member of the Environment and Labor Committee in 2004, and the later moments when we worked together on the Serious Accident Punishment Act and the Yellow Envelope Act.”
He stressed the need for a formal social dialogue mechanism within the National Assembly, acknowledging on-the-ground concerns that dialogue can stall when the assembly’s leadership changes because the current system is incomplete. He pledged to institutionalize and develop a “social dialogue body” inside the legislature so lawmakers can fully debate social conflicts and tackle problems through sustained, long-term cooperation.
Finally, Woo said, “We must move beyond mere political democracy and create a society where people receive fair compensation for their work and no one suffers undue injustice. Only when this substantive democracy is realized can our democracy be complete. The National Assembly will do its utmost, together with the FKTU, to achieve sweeping social reform.”
The ceremony was attended by FKTU Chair Kim Dong-myung, former Chair Park In-sang, other current and former FKTU leaders, and senior figures from major parties, including Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk, and Innovation Party leader Jo Guk. sangbae0302@sportsseoul.com
