Kim Dong-myung, president of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, speaks during an interview with a group of reporters at a hotel in Geneva, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps

GENEVA — Setting divergent minimum wages for different sectors amounts to socio-economic discrimination and will only divide society, according to Kim Dong-myung, president of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU).

He made the remarks during an interview with a group of reporters in Geneva, Tuesday, citing the ongoing deliberation in Korea by the tripartite commission of labor, management and the public for next year's minimum wage.

"I hope the commission does not discuss such a discriminatory measure. That measure should not be pursued anymore," he said.

Kim was in Geneva to represent Korea's labor sector at the 112th International Labour Conference, which kicked off on June 3 and will end Friday.

The annual event is the International Labour Organization's (ILO) highest decision-making assembly, bringing together tripartite delegations — governments, employers and laborers — from 187 member states.

Korea's 27-member Minimum Wage Commission, with nine representatives each from labor unions, management and the public, began the process on May 21 to determine next year's minimum wage, with major issues focused on whether it will exceed 10,000 won ($7.20) per hour for the first time and whether the wage should be set separately for different sectors.

"Every laborer contributes to society and has pride in their job. Applying a different minimum wage to each sector clearly constitutes discrimination against them," Kim said. "If the measure is implemented, that will only result in dividing this society."

He also underscored the need to substantially reflect the rate of inflation when deciding on the minimum wage level to guarantee the minimum amount of money that people need to earn to live.

"In addition, the commission should find a way to protect workers placed in the dead zone of the minimum wage for various reasons," he said.

During his speech given to the international conference on Monday, Kim criticized the government for pushing what he described as "pro-business and anti-labor policies."

He claimed this resulted in the crushing defeat of the ruling People Power Party in the April parliamentary elections.

"The FKTU's position calling for maintaining a social dialogue channel amid any circumstances has not changed," Kim said.

"The Yoon Suk Yeol government should stop sticking to its attitude that ignores the value of labor under the name of 'labor reforms' and move toward sincere dialogue with labor sectors."