President Lee: Foreign Companies Must Not Engage in Anti-Labor Practices in South Korea; If True, We Will Take Strict Action

[Financial News] President Lee Jae-myung said on the 10th, "Just as our companies should not show anti-labor or unreasonable behavior overseas, foreign companies should not do so in South Korea." He added, "We will conduct a thorough investigation, and if the allegations are confirmed, we will take strict action in line with international standards."
Lee shared a news report on X that said the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) was investigating allegations that IKEA Korea demoted an employee who returned from parental leave and pressured the person to resign. He then made the remarks.
Lee said that some global companies were once seen as exemplary abroad but drew criticism for anti-labor and opaque management only in South Korea. "That was during a time when the South Korean government pursued anti-labor policies and was tainted by corruption," he said. "But South Korea is now becoming a model society and a model government that leads the world, and such outdated management practices cannot be tolerated."
cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun Reporter