A semiconductor special act without the "white-collar exemption" (an exception to the 52-hour workweek for high-income, highly educated workers) passed the Trade. Industry Energy. SMEs. and Startups Committee on the 4th. The ruling and opposition parties agreed to first establish a support framework for the semiconductor industry and to handle separately the discussion on "easing labor regulations," a key demand of the industry. The bill is expected to be handled at the plenary session on the 9th, the last day of the regular session.
On the day, the committee held a general meeting and approved by bipartisan agreement the enactment bill of the Special Act to Strengthen Competitiveness and Promote Innovative Growth in the Semiconductor Industry (semiconductor special act).
To strengthen the competitiveness of the semiconductor industry, the bill designates certain areas as semiconductor clusters and includes a legal basis for supporting with national funds the construction of infrastructure such as the clusters' power grids, water supply networks, and roads. It also includes subsidies, tax support, and various permitting simplifications.
The special provision on working hours for R&D personnel is to continue being discussed at the Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee, the standing committee handling labor issues alongside the industry committee.
Earlier in the morning at the Subcommittee on Industry, Trade and Intellectual Property, Park Sung-min of the People Power Party, the opposition secretary, said, "It is very regrettable that we could not include the 52-hour exception, but we decided to pass as quickly as possible the support act to foster and support the semiconductor industry first and to take up the 52-hour exception separately at a later time."
However, there was opposition within the opposition party. At the general meeting, Kim Sung-won of the People Power Party said, "One of the most important issues in this bill is the special provision on working hours for research and development personnel. Passing the bill without this part goes against the bill's intent," and abstained from the vote.
The ruling and opposition parties had agreed on the need for a special act to support the semiconductor industry itself, but they ran in parallel for a long time over the issue of "exceptions to the 52-hour workweek" demanded by industry. In response, the Democratic Party of Korea designated a bill without the "exception provision" as a fast-track (expedited agenda) item in April. Under procedure, the bill was automatically referred from the Trade, Industry and Energy Committee to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee on Oct. 14, and after Jan. 14 next year it was to be automatically placed on the plenary agenda. Under the National Assembly Act, a fast-tracked bill can be put to a vote after review periods of up to 180 days in the competent standing committee, 90 days in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and 60 days after being placed on the plenary agenda.
The Democratic Party of Korea also considered handling the fast-track bill on its own but continued negotiations with the opposition in light of the political burden. It is known that, for the opposition, the judgment that there was no practical benefit to stalling since the bill was already on the fast track also played a role.