The Presidential Office nominates Kim Young-hoon, a train operator at Korea Railroad Corporation, as the Minister of Employment and Labor candidate.

President Lee Jae-myung has nominated Mr. Kim Young-hoon, a current train operator at Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) and a public member of the Busan Regional Labor Commission, as the candidate for Minister of Employment and Labor.

On the 23rd, Chief Secretary Kang Hoon-sik announced during a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office at around 1:30 PM that Kim Young-hoon, a former chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and a train operator at Korea Railroad Corporation, has been nominated as the Minister of Employment and Labor candidate.

Secretary Kang stated, "As a former chairman of the KCTU, he has represented the voices of labor. We expect him to play a role in strengthening the rights of workers in areas such as reducing industrial accidents, amending the Yellow Envelope Law, and implementing a 4.5-day workweek."

Kim Young-hoon joined the Korea Railroad Corporation as a train operator in 1992 and was elected chairman of the railroad union in 2004. Having served as chairman of the KCTU from 2010 to 2012, he currently works as a train operator while also serving as a public member of the Busan Regional Labor Commission.

During the candidate nomination briefing, Mr. Kim was operating the ITX Saemaul 1008 train heading from Busan to Seoul and reportedly learned of his nomination as a ministerial candidate late because he had turned off his mobile phone during the operation.

If Kim becomes the minister, he will be the first Minister of Employment and Labor from the ranks of the KCTU.

Upon hearing the news of Kim's nomination, the railroad labor community expressed their immediate support. They remarked, "The very fact that a ministerial candidate has emerged from the field of labor is highly symbolic. He is someone who understands the voices from the ground better than anyone else, and looking at his career, aligns with the current government's labor policy direction."

The KCTU also issued a statement on the same day, stating, "We expect Candidate Kim to deeply understand the tasks of the times and faithfully fulfill his duties as the Minister of Labor, guaranteeing workers' rights."

Image source: Kim Young-hoon, nominated as Minister of Employment and Labor, Public member of the Busan Regional Labor Commission / News1, Chief Secretary Kang Hoon-sik announcing the ministerial candidate selection at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul on the 23rd / News1, reference photo for understanding the article / News1