Labor minister proposes social dialogue over mega cluster bill

On Tuesday, Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon suggested initiating a one-point social dialogue to address the contentious aspects of a proposed special bill that would significantly ease labor regulations, particularly the 52-hour workweek cap, within large-scale semiconductor industries. The government plans to roll out the so-called mega cluster bill by the end of the month, which could entail exemptions for managers and researchers within the top 3 percent of income earners from the 52-hour workweek limit, as well as provisions for overtime, night, and holiday work allowances.

The existing 52-hour workweek law was implemented in 2018 to prevent excessive work hours. Moreover, the government is contemplating extending the selection period for the selective working hour system from one month to six months in the proposed mega clusters. The selective working hour system enables employees to work intensively during a designated timeframe, provided their cumulative hours over the chosen period do not surpass the limit.

However, South Korea's two leading labor union federations have vociferously criticized the government's decision to implement the mega cluster bill, expressing their discontent over the potential implications.