A special law containing various support measures to strengthen the competitiveness of the semiconductor industry passed The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 10th. With a filibuster continuing in the December extraordinary session, it is unclear whether it will be handled within the year.
The Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a full session that day and approved a bill to enact the Special Act on Strengthening Competitiveness and Innovative Growth of the Semiconductor Industry (Semiconductor Special Act).
The bill includes a basis to designate certain areas as semiconductor clusters to strengthen the competitiveness of the semiconductor industry and to fund, with the national budget, infrastructure such as the clusters' power grids, water supply networks, and roads. It also includes subsidies, tax support, and systems to streamline various permits and approvals.
The "white-collar exemption" (a clause exempting high-income, highly educated workers from the 52-hour workweek) was left out. The People Power Party accepted the Democratic Party of Korea's view that urgent industry support laws should be handled first and that the "easing of labor regulations," which involves conflicting interests, should be addressed separately. The ruling and opposition parties agreed to address the issue of "exceptions to the 52-hour workweek" in the competent standing committees, the Trade. Industry Energy. SMEs. and Startups Committee and the Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee.
Although it cleared the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the timing for the final step—passage at a plenary session of the National Assembly—remains unclear for now. With the Democratic Party of Korea signaling it will push ahead with contentious bills such as one to establish a court division dedicated to sedition cases, the People Power Party has decided to respond with a filibuster (unlimited debate) even on noncontentious bills. The Democratic Party of Korea plans to prioritize three contentious bills during the first filibuster, which runs through the 14th. It is not disclosing which bills will be brought up during the second filibuster from the 22nd to the 24th, citing its floor strategy.