Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jung-sik speaks during his visit to a company in Incheon, Nov. 24. He held a press conference for foreign journalists in Korea at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Tuesday, to explain the ministry's roadmap to lower the number of workplace accidents, improve employment for women and foreigners and innovate labor market conditions. Newsis

Minister promises better living conditions for migrant workers

By Ko Dong-hwan

Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jung-sik made it clear that the government will not accept demands by striking truckers to permanently offer a basic wage system, saying such an arrangement has not been proven to be effective during the past three years it was implemented.

At a press conference for foreign journalists here on Tuesday, Lee said laborers no longer need to be "unconditionally protected," which was a generally accepted concept until now, but "should take responsibility for themselves as well as look out for the safety of their coworkers."

The minister said the number of accidents have not decreased despite the introduction of the basic wage system ― also known as the minimum freight rate for truckers ― introduced in 2020 for three years to improve working conditions and prevent overloading and sleep deprivation.