Park Seung-hup has been appointed as the 11th president of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, marking the first time a labor activist has taken the helm of the organization.
The inauguration ceremony for the new president was held on September 30. The president of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service is appointed by the president of South Korea upon the recommendation of the Executive Recommendation Committee and the Minister of Employment and Labor.
Park graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Korean language education. In 1999, he founded the Korean Center for Non-Standard Employment and served as its first director. He has held various positions, including publisher and chairman of the Daily Labor News, co-chairman of the Seoul Job Committee, and chairman of the Gangwon Peace Economy Research Institute. Most recently, he served as the chairman of the Jeon Tae-il Foundation, where he continued his advocacy for the rights of non-standard and vulnerable workers.
The Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service is a quasi-governmental organization under the Ministry of Employment and Labor, responsible for industrial accident compensation, rehabilitation, and certain employment insurance tasks, as well as worker welfare programs. It also manages programs such as living stability funds, support for workplace childcare centers, and the 'Blue Seed' retirement pension fund for small businesses. The organization is working to reduce the processing time for industrial accident claims related to noise-induced hearing loss and occupational cancer to 160 days this year and 120 days next year.
In his inaugural address, President Park stated, "Everyone who works should be able to receive protection from the social safety net when needed," adding that he aims to expand protections for non-standard workers and those facing wage arrears, striving for a 'zero wage arrears society.' He also emphasized the need for a more prompt and fair assessment of occupational diseases, stating, "We will create a workers' compensation system that closely connects medical care, rehabilitation, and return to work for injured workers, ensuring their recovery is fully supported. We will build an organization that protects people and works together with the public."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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