Rep. Hwang Hee of the Democratic Party of Korea [provided by the lawmaker's office]
Rep. Hwang Hee of the Democratic Party of Korea [provided by the lawmaker's office]

Rep. Hwang Hee (Yangcheon-gap, Seoul), co-chair of the Democratic Party of Korea's National Vocational Representatives Council alongside Rep. Yoon Hu-deok, held a policy forum Thursday with the Korea Federation of Vocational and Economic Associations — honorary chair Shin Sang-ho, general chair Yoon Byung-woo — to address pressing livelihood issues.

The forum, held at the Sapphire Hall of the Air Force Hotel, was organized to hear directly from small-business owners and vocational workers struggling under prolonged high prices and high interest rates, and to channel their proposed regulatory reforms into central politics and public administration. The federation was founded in 1998 to protect the rights and interests of 12 million vocational workers and promote their shared welfare through mutual exchange. It serves as the representative body of the vocational sector, with more than 200 member organizations nationwide, including the Korea Automotive Technology Association, the Korea Music Copyright Association, the Korean Oriental Medicine Association and the Korea Postpartum Care Center Association.

At the forum, the federation's central body called for amendments to legislation governing vocational workers' economic activities and an expansion of government commendations for meritorious service. Individual member organizations also put forward policy proposals drawn from years of field experience. Key issues discussed included the rational reform of the liability insurance system for used-car performance inspections, the expansion of performance rights coverage through the parallel introduction of copyright-fee vouchers for small businesses, and the introduction of integrated childbirth incentives and RSV prevention policies to address the low birth rate.

"I listened carefully to proposals that carry the experience and concerns accumulated on the front lines of each sector," Hwang said. "The vocational field is where changes in livelihoods, the economy and industry are felt first — and it is a barometer of how closely government policy aligns with reality."

He added that some of the proposals raised Thursday would require inter-ministry consultations, while others could be resolved through revisions to laws, enforcement decrees or regulations. "I will make sure the proposals are connected to the floor leadership, the policy committee and the steering members of each standing committee, so that field expertise is not blocked by administrative walls and the proposals lead to government policy and legislation," he said.


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