South Korea labor directors form unified national council

April 20 (Asia Today) -- Labor representatives at South Korea's public institutions will launch a unified national council this week, marking a step toward expanding worker participation in corporate governance.

The preparatory committee said Monday it will hold a unification conference Tuesday at the National Assembly Members' Office Building to formally establish the Korea Labor Directors Council.

About 400 participants are expected to attend, including lawmakers such as Kim Ju-young and Min Byung-deok, union leaders from major labor federations and labor policy experts.

The new council will represent 220 labor directors from 181 public institutions nationwide. It is being formed through the merger of two previously separate groups representing local government-affiliated and state-run institutions.

Officials said the unified body aims to support the stable establishment of the labor director system and promote more participatory governance within public institutions.

Under the plan, the existing leaders of the two groups will jointly lead the council through next year to ensure a smooth organizational transition.

The council said the labor director system is intended to transform boards at public institutions from formal decision-making bodies into forums for substantive discussion and accountability.

The system allows worker representatives, selected through nomination or election, to sit on boards with full speaking and voting rights on key decisions. It was introduced in 2022 following revisions to the Act on the Operation of Public Institutions.

The administration of President Lee Jae-myung has pledged to expand the system as part of its policy agenda, though detailed implementation plans have yet to be announced.

-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260420010006235

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This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 4:42 PM.