Kim Nam-guk: "Yoon, Work Intensively 120 Hours a Week and Then Rest? Doesn't He Even Know the Exceptions?"

Namguk Kim, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Choyoung] On the 20th, Kim Namguk, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, raised his voice toward former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who said, "Even if I work hard for 120 hours a week, I should be able to rest freely afterward," saying, "Even if you cannot promise work-life balance, I hope you do not shake the correct policy direction of 'reducing working hours' by leaning to the extreme."

On the same day, Kim said in a post on his Facebook, "(In the case of 120 hours a week) If you rest for two days on Saturday and Sunday and work five days a week, you have to work 24 hours every day; if you rest one day and work six days a week, you have to work 20 hours every day; if you do not rest at all and work seven days a week, you have to work 17 hours every day," expressing this view.

Earlier, former Yoon said in an interview with a media outlet about the Moon Jae-in administration's '52-hour workweek system,' "It is a failed policy," adding, "When I met startup youths, they complained that exceptions should be made to the 52-hour workweek system so that workers can agree on or choose conditions. To develop a single game, you have to work hard for 120 hours a week, not 52 hours, and then be able to rest freely afterward."

In response, Representative Kim pointed out, "It seems that candidate Yoon Seok-yeol mistakenly believes that there are no 'exceptions' to the 52-hour workweek," adding, "There are definitely 'exceptions' that can secure flexibility in working hours, such as flexible working hours, special extended work, and selective working hours."

He continued, "It is not true that research and development companies or venture companies must work only 52 hours a week because there are no exceptions," and said, "It is really regrettable to mislead people into thinking that the 52-hour workweek system is a completely failed policy based on such incorrect facts."

Finally, Representative Kim added, "Our society is still called a 'overwork society' and 'work-centered society' and is notorious for long working hours," and said, "If you are a presidential candidate, shouldn't you promise to guarantee the people's evening life and work-life balance and definitely create a 'happy nation'?"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.