The Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union (KHMU) launched a joint labour-management working group on 26 June in Seoul to shape how artificial intelligence enters hospitals, as AI-driven tools increasingly alter the work of nurses, technicians, and administrative staff. The initiative gives healthcare workers a formal seat at the table to influence decisions that could affect job security, professional responsibilities, and patient safety.
The high-level social dialogue forum brought together government officials, hospital employers, and labour leaders to officially establish the Joint Working Group for a Just AI Transition in the Healthcare Sector. KHMU President Choi Hee-sun said the group aims to steer technological change rather than simply react after jobs are displaced. "The true substance of the AI transition must be a 'just transition'," Choi said. "No worker should be unilaterally sacrificed in the process of technological change. Labour and management must jointly decide the direction and pace of this transition. Technology must remain a tool for humanity, not an excuse to replace workers."
A proactive framework for work redesign
The growing use of AI-driven medical technologies is changing jobs and work organization, raising concerns over job security and confusion about who is responsible for what. This trend reflects a broader shift toward AI for Healthcare, where workers are demanding a voice in how new tools are deployed. KHMU's approach, called "Dialogue 4.0," moves from resolving disputes after they emerge to proactively co-designing labour-management solutions.
Government and employers signal support
South Korea's Minister of Employment and Labour Kim Young-hoon endorsed the initiative during his speech. "The AI transition can only lead to sustainable growth when labour and human dignity are placed at the centre of this transformation," Minister Kim said. He committed that the government will monitor AI's impact on employment and accelerate a national Basic Plan for Job Security during Industrial Transitions.
Representatives of the Korean Hospital Association, national medical centres, and regional public hospitals also backed the effort. Employers agreed that AI should not be used to cut staff but to ease the intense workloads of frontline healthcare workers and improve patient safety.
Research, seminars, and guidelines by 2026
The working group has commissioned a research project led by Kangwon National University that runs until November 2026. The study will examine how AI is currently implemented in hospitals and assess its effects on working conditions, professional responsibilities, and legal liability across different healthcare occupations.
The group will pursue three core initiatives: in-depth research on AI's impact on employment, an 11-part monthly seminar series broadcast to encourage open discussion, and a green paper collecting workers' views to build a common position. The process culminates in November 2026 with the presentation of Joint Labour-Management Guidelines for a Just AI Transition in the Healthcare Sector.
UNI Asia & Pacific Regional Secretary Rajendra Acharya praised the effort. "We are proud of this landmark initiative by KHMU. It demonstrates how unions with strong policy capacity can play an active and constructive role in shaping the introduction of AI at a time of major disruption," Acharya said. "If managed well, AI has the potential to transform work and contribute to the public good. If handled badly, however, workers could lose their jobs and livelihoods without sustainable policies to support them. Workers, through their unions, must have a seat at the table to ensure a just transition for all."
Why this matters for healthcare professionals
For nurses, medical technicians, and administrative staff, this working group creates a formal channel to influence how AI is rolled out in their daily work. The research will clarify emerging liability questions and role changes while the guidelines offer a template for other institutions and countries where AI adoption in healthcare is accelerating. Rather than waiting for technology to dictate new terms, the initiative puts workers in the room when decisions about staffing, workflow, and patient care get made.
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