South Korea appoints train driver as Minister of Labor
SEOUL: In a rare and unexpected political development, South Korea has appointed a train driver as the country’s Minister of Labor and Employment.
The 57-year-old appointee, Kim Young-hoon, was operating a train between Busan and Gimcheon when the announcement was made on June 23 by newly elected President Lee Jae-Myung.
The appointment came as a complete surprise to Kim, who was unaware of the news at the time due to his mobile phone being switched off during the journey.
This highly unusual move has drawn attention both locally and internationally, as it’s uncommon for someone from a working-class background — especially a train operator — to be elevated directly to a cabinet position.
President Lee has reportedly emphasized inclusivity and grassroots representation in his administration, and Kim’s appointment appears to reflect that philosophy.
He came to know about becoming a minister an hour later when his shift was completed and he came out of the train.As a minister, he has to protect the rights of workers and focus on issues like industrial accidents.
In this way, a 4 -and -a -half -day business week’s system and labor issues will also have to work on legislation.
Kim Young-hoon, from Bosan, graduated from Dong A University.
He was also very active in the labor union and also led the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) from 2010 to 2012.
Generally, in South Korea, people from government and teaching sectors are selected for the Labor Minister, while the selection of Kim Yong Bone proved to be astonishing to the people.
