Lee Jae-myung, as if to compare with 'Yoon's 120-hour workweek'... "Gradual introduction of a 4.5-day workweek"

June 26, Announcement of 6 Major Labor Policy Pledges
"Reduction of Working Hours... Annual Leave Days and Usage Rate to Reach Advanced Country Levels"
"Pilot Project for 4.5-Day Workweek"
"Principle of Equal Pay for Equal Work Specified"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] On the 26th, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, announced, "We will start social dialogue to introduce a 4.5-day workweek and promote pilot projects for its phased implementation." This draws attention as it contrasts with Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, who mentioned '120 hours of work per week.'

On the same day, Candidate Lee announced six major labor pledges, including the introduction of a 4.5-day workweek, saying, "We will create labor for people and a fair labor environment."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Candidate Lee emphasized, "Although our country's working hours have been reduced to a maximum of 52 hours per week, we still work much more than the OECD average," adding, "The Lee Jae-myung administration will make the best efforts to increase productivity and reduce working hours so that working citizens can enjoy a better life."

He also stated that the 4.5-day workweek would be introduced gradually.

Candidate Lee said, "We will provide various incentives to companies that take the lead in adopting a 4-day or 4.5-day workweek to spread the reduction of working hours." He also said, "We will increase the number and utilization rate of annual leave to the level of advanced countries and restrict comprehensive wage agreements that do not properly pay overtime allowances."

This policy to reduce working hours clearly differs from Candidate Yoon's labor view, who said, "Even if you work 120 hours a week, you should be able to rest freely afterward." Candidate Yoon mentioned flexibilization of the 52-hour workweek and abolition of the minimum wage system, which has drawn criticism as 'anti-labor' from some quarters.

In contrast, Candidate Lee's labor policy is characterized by the principle of 'equal pay for equal work,' reduction of working hours, and employment stability for non-regular workers.

On the same day, besides introducing the 4.5-day workweek, Candidate Lee promised to resolve blind spots in labor laws through the enactment of the 'Basic Act on the Rights Protection of Working People,' which comprehensively protects special employment, platform labor, and freelancers; early realization of nationwide employment insurance based on income; legalization of regular employment for permanent and continuous work; institutionalization of employment succession; and explicit mention of the 'equal pay for equal work' principle through amendments to related laws such as the Labor Standards Act.

To increase the income of non-regular workers, he also proposed measures such as eradicating price-cutting of unit costs, expanding the appropriate wage system, and introducing and expanding fair allowances for non-regular workers. Additionally, he put forward strengthening prevention of industrial accidents and compensation for disasters, establishing the Occupational Safety and Health Agency, and expanding participation and rights in union activities.

Reflecting on the unfair treatment he experienced as a child laborer, Candidate Lee emphasized, "Although my arm is bent, I want to straighten the bent and crooked reality of labor," and said, "I want to create a world where labor is respected."

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, is bowing his head during a press conference at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 26th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Safe workplaces, respected labor!

A country where all working people are happy!

Lee Jae-myung will make it happen!

South Korea is a country that has achieved rapid economic growth to the extent that the world envies.

This is thanks to the resilience of our people who have created hope by uniting in times of crisis without yielding to hardship and adversity.

Thanks to the efforts of the people, the economy has become the world's 10th largest power, but

the rights of working people and labor environment

do not match the status of the world's 10th largest economy.

Many workers still lose their lives in workplace accidents,

and labor-related laws for workers

do not properly guarantee the legal rights of workers.

Employment insecurity, discriminated workers, dangerous workplaces,

this is the current state of the shameful economic powerhouse South Korea.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which struck the world,

has deepened job polarization between large and small businesses,

and non-regular workers have increased to an all-time high.

The state must guarantee that citizens can work in a safe environment

and pursue a better life through fair labor.

The task for South Korea preparing for the great transition era

is to guarantee the basic labor rights of all working people

in a fair labor market.

South Korea's growth engine is not material resources but human resources.

I, Lee Jae-myung, will regard people as assets, not costs.

I will fully guarantee workers' rights

and ensure that the basic rights of working people are respected.

Each citizen will be able to demonstrate their abilities

and live happily working in this country.

I will now present the six major pledges of the Lee Jae-myung administration.

First, I will enact the 'Basic Act on the Rights Protection of Working People.'

Changes in industrial structure and rapid technological development

have created new and diverse forms of employment.

However, the current Labor Standards Act is designed mainly for regular wage workers

and does not properly reflect the changed labor environment.

Practical rights protection for people working in various ways is necessary.

I will enact the 'Basic Act on the Rights Protection of Working People,'

which comprehensively protects all working people such as special employment, platform labor, and freelancers.

This will eliminate blind spots in labor laws.

There should be no discrimination in basic labor rights.

I will gradually reduce blind spots in labor relations laws

to protect workers in workplaces with fewer than five employees.

Considering the difficult situation of small business owners and self-employed due to the COVID-19 pandemic,

I will carefully prepare supplementary measures to prevent conflicts among them

and create policies that everyone can agree on.

Starting with labor human rights,

I will gradually expand worker protection considering the characteristics of industries, jobs, and economic conditions.

I will fully understand the difficulties of small self-employed workers

and expand administrative and financial support.

I will realize nationwide employment insurance based on income early

to guarantee opportunities to overcome unemployment and failure and try again.

I will prepare measures to prevent freelancers and self-employed who are enrolled in employment insurance

from suffering disadvantages due to sudden income loss.

To firmly support work-life balance for all,

I will guarantee pre- and post-natal leave and parental leave for all working people.

Second, I will establish the principle of 'regular employment for permanent and continuous work'

and promote the 'appropriate wage system.'

Non-regular workers suffer from double hardships of employment insecurity and wage discrimination.

A fair labor market starts with employment stability.

First, I will legislate the principle that permanent and continuous work and work directly related to citizens' lives and safety

must be employed as regular workers.

Along with this, I will institutionalize employment succession so that employment relationships continue even if the service company changes.

I will correct discrimination against working people in the labor field.

I will promote amendments to related laws such as the Labor Standards Act

and explicitly state the principle of equal pay for equal work

to alleviate and eliminate discrimination legally.

I will establish a Fair Wage Committee

and promote comprehensive reform of the wage system by introducing objective job value evaluation, employment equality wage disclosure system, and standard wage system.

I will prepare various measures to increase the income of non-regular workers.

I will eradicate 'price-cutting of unit costs' occurring between primary and subcontractors.

I will expand the appropriate wage system, currently piloted in public construction projects, to the entire public sector

and, in the long term, apply it to private sector subcontracting through social compromise.

To resolve employment insecurity of short-term contract workers employed less than one year directly,

I will implement an additional compensation system proportional to employment instability.

I will introduce the 'Fair Allowance for Non-Regular Workers' implemented in Gyeonggi Province

to central administrative agencies and public institutions.

I will recommend the introduction of fair allowances in the private sector

and provide incentives to companies that adopt it to encourage its spread.

Third, I will strengthen prevention of industrial accidents and compensation for disasters

and guarantee the right to rest when sick.

The Lee Jae-myung administration will ensure that working citizens work safely,

rest when sick, and receive proper treatment when injured.

First, I will significantly reduce backward industrial accidents.

To prevent industrial accidents caused by outsourcing risks and protect citizens' precious lives,

I will mandate the establishment of an Industrial Safety and Health Committee integrating primary and subcontractors.

I will reduce the industrial accident death rate to below the OECD average.

I will establish the 'Occupational Safety and Health Agency'

to support accident prevention, disaster compensation, and systematic rehabilitation.

I will expand sickness benefits so that anyone who is sick can rest.

To ensure worry-free treatment when injured,

I will gradually promote nationwide industrial accident insurance, including self-employed persons at high risk of occupational injury.

I will double the industrial accident prevention budget from 1 trillion won to 2 trillion won

to protect the safety of workers in small workplaces,

prioritize safety accident prevention and occupational disease counseling in workplaces with fewer than 50 employees.

I will operate an industrial safety and health primary care physician system

to provide health counseling for workers in small workplaces, special employment, and platform workers.

I will institutionalize the ability to stop work when industrial accidents are expected, such as during heatwaves or cold spells,

and gradually introduce a safety and health disclosure system

to transparently manage companies' safety and health activities.

Fourth, I will expand participation and rights in union activities and respect labor human rights.

South Korea's unionization rate is about half the OECD average.

Non-regular and small business workers have no channels to voice their opinions.

I will reform the employee representative system under labor relations laws

to guarantee participation of non-regular worker representatives.

At the same time, to represent the rights of vulnerable workers without unions,

I will expand the installation of community-based labor rights support centers nationwide

and establish a Korean-style labor chamber.

In line with diverse changes in employment relations due to digital transformation,

I will promote cross-company collective bargaining activation and extension of collective agreement effects

for unstable vulnerable workers such as platform, freelancers, and special employment workers.

If vulnerable unorganized workers in regions unable to use joint welfare funds voluntarily create regional labor welfare funds,

the government will actively support them.

The freedom of expression of all citizens is a constitutionally guaranteed right.

This applies equally to teachers and public officials.

The complete ban on political activities by teachers and public officials

also violates international labor conventions.

I will guarantee that teachers and public officials can engage in minimal political activities unrelated to their duties during off-duty hours.

I will correct wrongful practices violating labor relations laws.

The central and local governments must work together to prevent intentional or repeated wage arrears.

I will create a cooperative model for labor supervision between central and local governments

to efficiently supervise safety and wage arrears in small workplaces.

To this end, I will sufficiently increase labor inspectors.

I will incorporate labor human rights education into school curricula

so that youth learn to respect labor and its value

and can protect labor rights themselves after entering society.

Fifth, I will reduce actual working hours to realize a better life for workers.

More than 70% of the people supported the reduction of the 52-hour workweek.

Although working hours have been reduced to a maximum of 52 hours per week,

our people work much more than the OECD average.

Staying longer at the workplace does not mean higher productivity.

The Lee Jae-myung administration will make the best efforts to increase productivity and reduce working hours

so that working citizens can enjoy a better life.

I will increase the number and utilization rate of annual leave to the level of advanced countries

and restrict comprehensive wage agreements that do not properly pay overtime allowances.

Also, I will reduce actual working hours without income loss through methods such as expanding family care leave.

We will start social dialogue to introduce a 4.5-day workweek

and promote pilot projects for phased implementation.

We will provide various incentives to companies that take the lead in adopting a 4-day or 4.5-day workweek

to spread the reduction of working hours.

Sixth, I will establish job policies leading the great transition.

I will further activate social dialogue for jobs related to industrial transition

and ensure that agreed contents are implemented at the government level

with institutional guarantees and strengthened monitoring.

In preparation for industrial transition, I will establish a 'Just Transition' control tower

within the Carbon Neutrality Committee to manage successful job transitions and career development

and create a job creation roadmap through social dialogue.

I will strengthen public employment support services

to ensure no one fails to find desired jobs or job seekers

and organize a job system that connects job seekers and companies appropriately.

I will integrate and efficiently reorganize job centers dispersed by ministries and regions.

I will continue to expand jobs in public service areas directly related to people's livelihoods.

I will expand care services for infants, elementary students, and the elderly, and medical personnel.

Due to the decline in the working-age population and aging,

I will expand opportunities to work until older ages.

Considering pension receipt periods, I will implement various continuous employment policies

and reduce income blind spots for seniors.

A great transition in vocational skills development is necessary.

With a single National Tomorrow Learning Card,

anyone nationwide can receive lifelong vocational skills development support,

and I will expand the target, period, and scale of support.

Dear citizens,

I was a child laborer who had to wear oil-stained work clothes instead of a school uniform.

I was often unfairly withheld wages,

suffered an industrial accident that twisted my left arm and caused partial loss of smell,

but I did not receive compensation or proper treatment.

At that time, workers were merely cheap labor compared to machines.

Although my arm is bent, I want to straighten the bent and crooked reality of labor.

I want to create a world where labor is respected

and human value is not measured by money.

I, Lee Jae-myung, who has deeply felt the pain of workers

and the unfair and absurd labor reality,

will create labor for people and a fair labor environment.

Safe workplaces,

respected labor,

a country where all working people are happy,

Lee Jae-myung will make it happen!

Thank you.

January 26, 2022

Lee Jae-myung, 20th Presidential Candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea

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