Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during a press conference at the government complex in Sejong, central Korea, Oct. 18. Yonhap

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Wednesday that the government will continue to push for deregulation and structural reforms in a bid to promote flexibility in the labor market.

The government "will not neglect regulatory improvement and structural reforms for labor market flexibility," Han said at a job fair in Seoul.

Han said the government will help the private sector create sustainable jobs, instead of focusing on short-term jobs created by fiscal spending.

Han said the government aims to "create decent jobs by actively fostering new growth industries and revitalizing private investment through drastic regulatory innovation."

In the wake of demographic change and digital transformation, Korea needs a new paradigm in the labor market, Han said. (Yonhap)