![Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon [Ministry of Employment and Labor]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/08/07/rcv.YNA.20260702.PYH2026070210110001300_P1.jpg)
"Mid-sized companies with high youth hiring rates should actively participate in government support programs and expand their recruitment."
Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon visited the Korea Mid-sized Enterprises Federation in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on Friday, where he held a policy roundtable with federation Chairman Choi Jin-sik and seven executives from mid-sized firms spanning the automotive parts, information and communications, machinery and equipment, and metal processing sectors.
The visit marked the second consecutive year Kim has called on the federation as labor minister — his first came in September last year — and was arranged to share policy directions and gather on-the-ground views from mid-sized companies, which play a central role in job creation, production and exports in South Korea.
"Mid-sized enterprises are the sturdy backbone of our economy and a core pillar of Korea's growth, shouldering the responsibility for regional economies and quality jobs," Kim said. "I am grateful to the business leaders who keep our industrial sites running so that the growth ladder — from small and medium-sized enterprises to mid-sized firms and on to large conglomerates — can remain strong."
Kim said the role of mid-sized companies is critical to expanding youth employment, and pledged to actively incorporate on-the-ground voices — including concerns over labor shortages, industrial safety and flexible working hours — into policy.
He then outlined three core strategies for the Ministry of Employment and Labor's second-half policy: building workplaces where employees are safe and fairly compensated; expanding intergenerational jobs that benefit both youth and middle-aged workers; and driving an industrial transformation that bridges disparities and enables shared advancement.
"Mid-sized companies hire a high proportion of young workers and are workplaces that youth prefer, so I hope they will actively take part in government support programs and expand hiring," Kim said. "We will also look more carefully at the various difficulties mid-sized companies face on the ground and work to find practical solutions."
Chairman Choi said the federation must build a sustainable growth foundation in which corporate development and rewarding work reinforce each other, through a paradigm shift in employment and labor policy suited to the changed industrial environment. "The mid-sized enterprise sector will also fulfill its role as a key partner in employment and labor policy — conveying views from the field and communicating closely with the government," he said.
"The answer to policy is always found on the ground," Kim said, asking the federation to contribute its field experience and insights as a policy partner. He added that the government would spare no policy support in creating an environment where companies can invest in people.
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