South Korean minister calls for fair AI benefit sharing at ILO conference

South Korean Labor Minister Lee Jung-sik urged for a fair distribution of artificial intelligence's benefits, stating that gains should be shared equitably among workers, businesses, and communities. Speaking at the 114th International Labour Organization (ILO) conference in Geneva, Lee emphasized that AI's potential to create quality jobs and social justice, or to deepen inequality, hinges on policy and societal choices. He advocated for "social innovation" alongside technological advancement to ensure AI benefits everyone.

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AI's gains should not be monopolized, but fairly shared among workers, businesses, 원청·협력업체, and local communities.

Lee stressed the importance of social dialogue, involving workers, employers, and governments, to build trust and facilitate a more equitable and human-centered AI transition. He argued that technological innovation cannot be sustained at the expense of any single party. "We must move beyond the dichotomy of reinvestment versus redistribution," Lee stated, proposing that fair distribution leading to sustainable growth is the new social contract for the AI era. He also called for expanding workplace democracy to mirror the principles of public democracy.

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Whether AI leads to quality jobs and social justice or deepens new gaps and inequalities ultimately depends on policies, systems, and social choices.

To address the challenges posed by AI and digital transformation, the minister outlined South Korea's initiatives. These include strengthening the legal framework for non-traditional workers, such as platform workers, through measures like the "Basic Law for Workers." Additionally, the government is enhancing vocational training and lifelong learning programs under the "Industrial Transition Employment Stability Basic Plan." South Korea is also expanding its social safety net, including employment and industrial accident insurance, to protect new forms of labor outside traditional employment structures. The ILO conference, attended by representatives from 187 member states, is discussing platform economies, quality jobs, social dialogue, and workplace equality.

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Technological innovation cannot be sustained at the expense of any one party. A more fair and human-centered AI transition will be achieved through social dialogue involving workers, employers, and governments to build trust.