Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom recently stated that domestic workers in shipyards are receiving wages similar to those of migrant workers because they are no longer working as much, which has incited backlash and accusations of demeaning laborers. The Ulsan chapter of the Democratic Party held a press conference, stating that the mayor's comments insult local workers who are trapped in a distorted multi-tier subcontracting system while criticizing the government's ongoing review of the Ulsan metropolitan visa aimed at helping labor shortages in the industry. They demanded immediate apologies from Mayor Kim to Ulsan's citizens and shipyard workers.

Democratic Party member Kim Tae-seon condemned the mayor's statements as a disregard for serious structural issues, including the risk of dangerous work conditions and severe disparities in wages between primary contractors and subcontractors. He argued that rather than acknowledging these systemic problems, Mayor Kim places all blame on the low wages of domestic workers. Furthermore, he emphasized that Kim's approach, which treats workers merely as costs while promoting the hiring of cheap migrant labor, exacerbates divisions among workers who share the same struggles regardless of their nationality.

Both the Democratic Party and the Justice Party have urged a reevaluation of the multi-tier subcontracting structure and stressed the necessity of measures to ensure fair wages to retain skilled workers. They called for an immediate suspension of the Ulsan metropolitan visa and criticized the shipbuilding industry for attempting to fill hazardous jobs with low-paid migrant labor, which only intensifies the issue of youth labor migration away from Ulsan, underscoring the need for administrative action focused on creating sustainable and secure job opportunities for local workers.