Korea Specialty contractors association (KOSCA) said it held a "meeting for communication with the specialty construction industry, with Minister Kim Young-hoon of the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) invited," at 10 a.m. on the 27th at the Specialty Construction Hall in Seoul.
Minister Kim Young-hoon of the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL), along with Director General Cho Chung-hyeon for labor-management cooperation and other MOEL officials, attended the meeting. From the specialty construction industry, more than 20 people took part, including Chair Yoon Hak-su, chairs of city and provincial chapters, chairs of industry-specific councils, and the head of the foreign workforce advisory group.
Beforehand, the specialty construction industry read a declaration of coexistence that expressed the will for labor-management win-win and compliance. Next, the association conveyed pending issues necessary to ensure safety and quality at construction sites and to sustain the industry's development, noting that the new government's overall policy stance is directly affecting site operations and the business environment of small and midsize specialty construction firms.
Key agenda items included: ▲ labor-management win-win cooperation measures for the sustainable development of the construction industry ▲ reflecting appropriate construction costs and periods to secure safety and quality at construction sites ▲ improving construction safety by strengthening cooperation between prime contractors and subcontractors ▲ making industrial safety and health management costs realistic ▲ measures to expand the supply of labor at construction sites ▲ improving the retirement benefit system for the stable old age of construction workers.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) said it listened closely to the difficulties the specialty construction industry is facing and expressed its intention to work together to devise solutions.
Chair Yoon Hak-su of the specialty contractors association said, "If you look at the proposals made today with a balanced perspective, it will greatly help normalize the management of small and midsize companies and create fair and common-sense construction sites."
Minister Kim Young-hoon of the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) said, "We will closely review the difficulties proposed by the specialty construction industry so they can be resolved," and added, "Since there are limits to policy will alone, we will work to create opportunities for the industry and the government to communicate closely so we can pursue effective institutional improvements going forward."