Gyeonggi Province expands brand support and labor inspection authority

Gyeonggi Province is expanding its use of the provincial brand and its representative character, ‘Bonggongi’, to support self-reliance programs for vulnerable populations. Through a new agreement with the Gyeonggi Provincial Self-Reliance Center, the Gyeonggi Senior Job Support Center, and the Gyeonggi Association of Vocational Rehabilitation Facilities for the Disabled, the province will provide free use of its intellectual property and design consulting. This initiative aims to create jobs and expand sales channels for the elderly and disabled by developing various goods, including stationery, food, and apparel.

Separately, a significant shift in labor oversight is set to occur in December. Following a new law, the authority to conduct labor inspections for workplaces with fewer than 30 employees will be delegated from the central government to local governments. Gyeonggi Province is preparing to deploy 170 local labor inspectors to begin field inspections on December 8. The province will prioritize sectors with high risks of unpaid wages, such as textile, furniture, and rubber or plastic manufacturing. This decentralized system aims to address labor safety blind spots through a collaborative framework between local inspectors and the central Ministry of Employment and Labor.