42nd Future Labor Reform Forum: Korea’s Key Labor Issues and Challenges

The 42nd Future Labor Reform Forum was held under the theme “Labor Issues and Challenges in Korea.” This forum examined how institutions designed to protect workers actually affect the labor market. In particular, it explored the possibility that such systems may produce outcomes different from those intended, such as reduced new hiring and increased outsourcing and automation, and discussed policy tasks for improving the dual structure of the labor market and employment disparities.

It also broadly addressed major labor issues, including extending the retirement age, Articles 2 and 3 of the revised Trade Union Act, the worker presumption system, working hour regulations, dismissal, fixed-term and dispatch work systems, and youth employment issues arising from the spread of AI. At the same time, it examined ways to protect workers’ rights while reasonably adjusting corporate burdens and responsibilities, and sought directions for labor market reform that go beyond protecting a single job to enhancing worker mobility and employability.

Thank you to everyone who participated.

Date and Time: Thursday, August 20, 2026, 10:00 a.m.

Venue: Pureun Hall

Host: Future Labor Reform Forum

Moderator: Seunggil Lee, Head of the Future Labor Reform Forum and Chairman of the Korea ILO Association

Presenter: Deokho Kim, Professor at Sungkyunkwan University

Discussants: Changbae Kim, Secretary General of the Open Society Forum

Yonghun Shin, Senior Labor Attorney at Dongseo Labor Law Firm

Wonyong Park, Former Vice President of Korea 3M

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Original title: <제42회 미래노동개혁포럼:한국의 노동 쟁점과 과제>

Author: Future Labor Reform Forum

Date: 2026-08-20

Source: https://www.cfe.org/bbs/bbsDetail.php?cid=futurelabor&pn=1&idx=29379