Meeting with Kim Moon-su, Chairman of the SME Industry Labor-Management Council, "Please Become the Central Axis of Labor Market Reform"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwak Min-jae] The small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) sector met with Kim Moon-soo, the newly appointed chairman of the Economic, Social and Labor Council (ESLC), to demand that the ESLC take a central role in labor market reforms aimed at removing labor regulations.

On the 3rd, the Korea Federation of SMEs held a meeting with Kim Moon-soo at the Federation’s office in Yeouido, Seoul, requesting that social dialogue be pursued with a balanced perspective reflecting the voices from the SME field.

At the meeting, the Federation proposed addressing current labor issues faced by SMEs, including ▲ allowing monthly extension of working hours to ease the rigid 52-hour workweek system and institutionalizing an additional 8-hour overtime work system ▲ improving the penalty levels under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act (changing the minimum imprisonment term to a maximum term) and introducing a certification (exemption) system for safety and health obligations ▲ halting unreasonable legislation for rational labor-management relations (such as the Yellow Envelope Act) and improving related laws and systems.

Kim Ki-moon, chairman of the Federation, said, “In recent years, SMEs have faced difficult times due to rapidly increasing labor regulations such as the forced implementation of the 52-hour workweek and the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, along with a manpower shortage reaching 600,000.” He added, “We ask the ESLC to take a central role in labor market reforms that remove labor regulations so that SMEs can focus solely on management.”

Kim Moon-soo, chairman of the ESLC, stated, “SMEs are the cornerstone supporting our country’s economy and the foundation of the national economy.” He added, “We hope the Federation of SMEs will provide significant assistance in resolving national issues such as coexistence between large and small enterprises and polarization through social dialogue.”

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