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Lee emphasizes inclusion of workers amid AI push during Labor Day ceremony

Published: 01 May. 2026, 11:10 Updated: 01 May. 2026, 14:34

President Lee Jae Myung, center, stands between Kim Dong-myeong, chief of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, left, and Yang Kyung-soo, chief of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, at a Labor Day ceremony at the Blue House in central Seoul on May 1. [YONHAP]

President Lee Jae Myung said workers should not be left by the wayside amid the push for AI-driven productivity gains during the first Labor Day ceremony hosted by the Blue House on Friday.

“Forecasts suggesting that machines and AI will replace most human labor are gaining ground,” Lee said at a ceremony held at the Blue House. “But we must not force workers to bear unilateral sacrifices solely for the sake of improving productivity.”

He added that growth without workers at its center could not be considered meaningful.

“Growth that leaves behind the majority of the people — workers — cannot be called true growth,” Lee said. “Even if the wave of change is unavoidable, finding a path of coexistence is the way toward a sustainable future for all of us.”

Lee, who has frequently highlighted his background as a former child laborer, returned to that experience in his remarks.

“I used to wake up early in the morning to head to work, and only late at night — sometimes at daybreak — would I finish my day with hands stained with oil,” he said. “The fact that I could protect my family with the sweat I shed through labor was a great source of comfort to me, and the force that made me who I am today.”

Lee promised his government “will never compromise when it comes to safety at work,” repeating an earlier commitment.

Although fatal workplace accidents fell 17.5 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, according to government data, Lee acknowledged the gap between progress and perception, noting in a recent social media post that Korea’s reputation remains tarnished.

“Given that we have the highest industrial accident fatality rate among OECD [Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development] countries, it is difficult to be proud of the fact that we have built the world’s 10th-largest economy,” he wrote in a Facebook post last month.

Lee also pledged to expand the scope of basic labor rights to cover all workers, including those in nonregular positions, subcontracted roles, platform-based jobs and freelance work so that “all workers can enjoy fundamental labor rights.”

At the same time, he emphasized that stronger labor protections need not come at the expense of business competitiveness.

“We will open a path of coexistence where labor and businesses move forward together,” he said. “A society that respects labor and a country that is good for businesses to operate in can fully coexist.”

The ceremony was the first official event held under the new name of “Labor Day.” The holiday was called “Workers’ Day” until it was renamed last October, ending the use of a term established in 1963.

About 120 workers from a range of industries and age groups attended the event.

Members of both of the country’s major umbrella labor groups — the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions — were present, marking the first time they have jointly attended a Labor Day event hosted by the Blue House.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY YOON SUNG-MIN [[email protected]]