Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon says flexible work can jump-start shift in how Koreans work

Kim Young-hoon, minister of employment and labor. [Photo=Ministry of Employment and Labor]

Kim Young-hoon, South Korea’s minister of employment and labor, said April 24 that as technology, demographic and climate changes accelerate at the same time, changing how people live and work is “not a choice but a necessity,” adding that flexible work “can be the starting point.”

Kim made the remarks at a corporate roundtable on expanding flexible work, hosted by the Labor Ministry and the Metropolitan Transport Commission under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. He said the government is supporting the entire process of adopting and operating flexible work — including incentives, system support, consulting and manuals — to reduce companies’ burdens.

With oil prices rising amid the Middle East crisis, companies have faced higher costs, prompting moves to expand flexible arrangements such as staggered commuting hours and working from home, and to join energy-saving campaigns. Small and midsize firms, however, have struggled to introduce and use flexible work because of staffing constraints, system-building costs and security concerns.

The government said it will provide tailored support based on company conditions. Firms that adopt flexible work can receive incentives to ease initial costs, as well as subsidies for installation fees or usage charges for systems used to manage commuting and strengthen information and security. Companies with limited experience operating flexible work can also receive manuals and linked consulting, covering everything from program design to day-to-day operation.

The government has also introduced the “10 a.m. start for parents” program, which supports small and midsize employers that allow workers with young children to cut their workday by one hour without a pay reduction. It has removed the requirement that workers must have been employed for six months and eased paperwork burdens by changing the submission of rules such as employment and HR regulations from mandatory to recommended.

At the meeting, Kim and Kim Yong-seok, chair of the Metropolitan Transport Commission, joined representatives from six companies recognized as 2025 South Korea work-life balance best workplaces, which have high rates of flexible work use. Officials also explained government support programs for flexible work.

Kim said he hopes the roundtable will help reflect workplace feedback, improve policies to better match reality and broaden voluntary participation by the private sector. He said the government will strengthen practical, tangible support so companies can join changes in work practices through greater use of flexible work.

Kim Yong-seok said the commission is implementing the “Everyone’s Card” policy, which sets time windows for commuting and provides additional incentives. He added that an interagency task force is being formed to prepare measures to ease public transit congestion during commuting hours, including steps to promote flexible work.

* This article has been translated by AI.

Kim SeongSeo