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Cabinet officials

APEC Employment and Labor Ministers Call for Overhauls in Employment Systems and Skills Strategies

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Acting Minister of Employment and Labor of the Republic of Korea, Min-suk Kim, chaired the 7th APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting, emphasizing the need for economies to adapt their workforce systems to the disruptions caused by technology and aging populations. The meeting brought together labor ministers from 21 APEC member economies to discuss strategies for building sustainable labor markets and jobs. With the rapid changes in the employment landscape, Acting Minister Kim highlighted the importance of flexible wage and work-hour systems, tailored to performance and job roles. He also stressed the need for investing in education and training to equip young people with the skills required to thrive in the future workforce.

Key Takeaways:

  • The 7th APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting underscored the urgency of adapting workforce systems to new realities shaped by artificial intelligence, demographic shifts, and the growing complexity of employment types.
  • Acting Minister Kim called for flexible wage and work-hour systems, tailored to performance and job roles, to enable effective responses to changing conditions and support smoother transitions for workers across sectors.
  • The meeting emphasized the need for re-skilling and upskilling workers with digital capacities throughout their life cycle, with a focus on digital competencies such as AI.
  • The Chair proposed the regular convening of a Sustainable Jobs Forum to bring together government and business stakeholders to translate policy dialogue into action.
  • Labor market experts and policymakers urged member economies to retool institutional frameworks to meet the demands of a modern workforce.
  • The meeting highlighted the importance of strengthening and expanding high-quality employment opportunities in labor markets, including investing in education and training for young people.
  • Acting Minister Kim emphasized the need to ensure broader participation in the labor force, particularly among women and older workers, with a focus on re-skilling and upskilling workers with digital capacities.

Statistics:

  • 20 APEC member economies attended the meeting, with discussions centered on building sustainable labor markets and jobs.
  • The meeting marked the first gathering of APEC labor ministers in over a decade, with the last ministerial meeting held in Ha Noi, Viet Nam in 2014.
  • Acting Minister Kim emphasized the importance of advancing labor market flexibility and adaptability to support workers in the digital age.
  • The International Labour Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development participated in the plenary sessions, providing insights on the policy implications of technological changes in the world of work.

Sources:

  • International New York Times
  • APEC press release
  • OECD
  • ILO

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