"Even if it is inevitable to make working hours flexible in certain areas, it must not be a means to extend total working hours or evade labor costs."
"Are you changing your words again? Are you saying you won't apply the 52-hour workweek flexibly?"
On the 10th, Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, took the podium at the plenary session for the negotiation group representative speech. From the People Power Party seats, jeers of "What is your true intention?" and "You are changing your words" echoed. In response, Lee began an impromptu statement not included in his advance text. It was about maintaining total working hours while introducing flexibility. This remark was made with the consideration of the exceptional application of the 52-hour workweek in the semiconductor research and development field, which has emerged as the biggest issue in politics. He also suddenly stated that he would create a "four-day workweek country." If Lee's pledge is implemented, total working hours will decrease. This issue, separate from the flexible work system, requires social discussion once again.
In his negotiation group representative speech, Lee filled about 29 minutes with economic-related content. Due to the key issue of the Special Act on Semiconductors, regarded as a representative industrial growth policy, the debate over the "white-collar exemption (flexibility of the 52-hour workweek for high-income research and development positions)" has prevented consensus between the ruling and opposition parties, leading to mentions of working hours in the early part of his speech.
However, Lee's stance on the 52-hour workweek remains ambiguous. While advocating for a reduction of working hours, he also mentioned 'labor flexibility' simultaneously. Lee stated, "Even if it is inevitable to make working hours flexible in certain areas due to special needs, it must not be a means to extend total working hours or evade labor costs." This acknowledges the 'inevitability' of extending working hours for 'certain areas' like semiconductors.
He also remarked, "The era of competing by quantity is over. It is difficult to survive in fierce international competition through extending working hours and labor exploitation." He continued, "To move toward a society of creativity and autonomy in advanced technology, we need to reduce working hours and proceed to a 'four-day and a half workweek' and then to a 'four-day workweek country.'"
From the ruling party seats, jeers poured out. People Power Party member Woo Jae-jun asked, "What is your real intention?" Some members also questioned, "Does that mean you are withdrawing the 52-hour workweek?" and "Be clear in your speech." Some even left the plenary chamber during Lee's speech. In response, Lee said, "Please wait a moment. Let's keep our dignity," and made an impromptu statement not included in his text.
Lee stated, "South Korea has a 52-hour workweek. If we multiply that by 54 weeks, it amounts to 2,800 hours per year. Isn't the average working hours in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the 1,700 hours range? We are not suggesting working over 3,000 hours, are we?" He added, "Samsung is advocating for labor flexibility, not increasing total working hours," asserting that corporations with cutting-edge technology competing globally are not suggesting they would exploit labor and extend working hours to compete.
Lee also said, "If labor intensity increases without extending working hours, for instance, if there is night, weekend, or overtime work, I would say that we will compensate accordingly," adding, "How can we compete internationally with such forms of labor exploitation?" Applause erupted from the Democratic Party seats.
The exceptional application of the 52-hour workweek is a major issue with significant divisions even within the Democratic Party. Earlier, on the 3rd, during a policy discussion related to the Special Act on Semiconductors, Lee expressed agreement with the business sector's call to apply the "52-hour exception" only to high-income semiconductor researchers, stating, "I empathize with that." Within the party, there are concerns that Lee is shaking the party's platform for the sake of a rightward shift for the presidential election. Policy Committee Chair Jin Sung-jun remarked, "(The exemption from the 52-hour workweek) is asking to allow corporations to freely employ workers as they wish."
◇Even with elementary school students present... "Return the corporate credit card" "Mind your own business"
The plenary session that day was filled with mockery from both ruling and opposition members. When Lee mentioned the introduction of a public recall system for lawmakers, remarks such as "What about renouncing the non-arrest privilege?" and "Return the corporate credit card" were heard from the ruling seats. Lee's claim that we need to move beyond 'muksanism' to 'jalsanism' prompted jeers of "Mind your own business". In response, Lee said, "Elementary school students are observing. Let's stop this," adding, "I will listen quietly during the ruling party leader's speech tomorrow."
There were a total of 28 rounds of applause from the Democratic Party seats. Every time People Power Party members shouted loudly during Lee's speech, there were calls to "Please listen!" and "Be quiet!" Lee stated regarding labor issues that "the development of corporations and the protection of labor rights are not mutually exclusive," asserting that "jobs are the only welfare, and in a reality where the social safety net is grossly inadequate, corporations demand 'labor flexibility' for competitiveness, but workers shout, 'Firing is death.'"