Gangdong-gu Office, headed by Lee Jung-hun, announced that it had enacted an ordinance aimed at protecting and promoting labor rights to help support workers and self-employed business owners in its jurisdiction. As a result, the creation of a labor rights center will gather momentum after legal and institutional grounds for the center are secured.

The center, the campaign pledge Lee Jung-hun made as Gangdong-gu’s 7thmayorelectedbypopularvote,willserveasthemostimportantbaseinrealizingasocietywherelaborvalueandpeoplearerespected.

There are 30,286 businesses in Gangdong-gu as of 2016. Of them, 28,425 or 94% are small businesses with less than 10 employees. The center will be a stepping stone for vulnerable social groups like poor merchants, non-regular workers, women and youths who had to experience difficulties due to a lack of understanding on labor laws and failed to show their ability properly because of discrimination.

The ordinance went through the advance notice of legislation from Sept. 5 to Sept. 25 and went into effect on Oct. 31 after being approved at the 257th regular session of the Gangdong-gu Council on Oct.19. Gangdong-gu Office plans to directly run the labor rights center to ensure internal stability and enhance its power of execution.

“The center will be equipped with functions to protect labor rights, jobs, self-employed persons and small business owners and set up a one-stop welfare system that can provide consultation, caring, and jobs all at once by hiring experts,” Mayor Lee Jung-hun said, pledging to make Gangdong-gu that sympathizes with its people and understands the pains and hardships of marginalized neighbors without discrimination.

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