President Lee Jae Myung on May 1 delivers a congratulatory speech at a ceremony to mark Labor Day at the official guesthouse Yeongbingwan of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. (Cheong Wa Dae)

By Yoo Yeon Gyeong

President Lee Jae Myung on May 1 pledged to "open a path for win-win growth where labor and business go together."

At a ceremony to mark Labor Day at the official guesthouse Yeongbingwan of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, he said, "We will achieve true growth that enables labor and companies, fairness and innovation, and growth and distribution to create a virtuous circle."

Attendees included the leadership of the country's two umbrella labor groups -- the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and Korean Federation of Trade Unions -- and Korea Employers Federation Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik.

"I will ensure that basic labor rights apply to all workers," President Lee said. "I will pay special attention to ensure that anyone who works -- regular and irregular workers, prime contractors and subcontractors, and platform workers and freelancers -- receives fair treatment and that no blind spots in protection are created."

Through an amendment to the related law last year, the official name of the holiday falling on May 1 was changed to "Labor Day" from "Worker's Day." This came 63 years after the statute was enacted in 1963, and Labor Day was observed as a full-fledged national holiday from this year.

dusrud21@korea.kr