[What Do You Think?] The 'Up to 69 Hours Weekly Work System' That Became a Flashpoint Under the Yoon Administration

With 'Work Hard and Rest Well'
VS Wild 'Irregular Labor, Health Rhythm Disrupted'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

"Let's work more when work piles up, and avoid overtime or similar when there is none. There have been continuous calls to reduce actual working hours." (Lee Jeong-sik, Minister of Employment and Labor)

"Germany works 1,300 hours a year (compared to South Korea's 1,900 hours) yet achieves similar efficiency. Expanding 'Work-Life Balance (WLB)' is already insufficient, and overwork deaths could worsen." (Kim Seong-hwan, Chairman of the Democratic Party Policy Committee)

The Yoon Seok-yeol administration's labor market flexibilization plan allowing up to 69 working hours per week has become another front of confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties, with the Democratic Party and Justice Party strongly opposing it. The core proposal is to change the overtime management unit to a maximum of 'annual' basis, allowing work up to 69 hours per week. The opposition argues that irregular working hours disrupt workers' biological rhythms and can lead to health problems and death from overwork.

Earlier, on the 12th, the Future Labor Market Research Group, an expert body launched under President Yoon's directive, proposed restructuring the current weekly overtime system into 'weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual' units. This would allow overtime up to 52 hours per month, 140 hours per quarter, 250 hours per half-year, and 440 hours per year. In contrast, the '52-hour workweek system (40+12 hours)' introduced during the Moon Jae-in administration has enforced a maximum of 52 hours per week including overtime.

Opposition: "Work-Life Balance is already insufficient... Overwork deaths may increase"

Kim Seong-hwan, Chairman of the Policy Planning Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Policy Coordination Meeting held at the National Assembly on the 14th and delivering an opening remark. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

The Democratic Party and Justice Party clearly expressed opposition on radio that day. Kim Seong-hwan, Policy Committee Chairman of the Democratic Party, criticized, "I don't know if they want to reform labor or drive people to death from overwork."

According to the figures cited by Chairman Kim, the average annual working hours among OECD member countries is 1,600 hours. France works 1,400 hours, Germany 1,300 hours. Even Germany, with strong manufacturing competitiveness, achieves similar efficiency working 1,300 hours. With work-life balance already insufficient, workers' deaths from overwork could worsen. A Democratic Party official from the Environment and Labor Committee, who spoke with this outlet, said, "I see this as the real-life version of President Yoon's campaign pledge of a 120-hour workweek." If working hours fluctuate, workers' consistent wake-up and sleep times break down, harming health. Even if implemented through labor-management negotiations, weaker unions may have no choice but to accept employers' opinions.

Justice Party lawmaker Jang Hye-young also mentioned on radio, "Historically, the reason for the '52-hour workweek' regulation is that without it, workers are overworked beyond that, leading to health deterioration and even death."

Government and ruling party: Can choose through labor-management negotiations... Diversifying work forms

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the other hand, the government and ruling party appeared on radio the same day, stating that the 69-hour weekly system would be applied selectively only when both labor and management agree, with safeguards in place, so it is not problematic. Seong Il-jong, Policy Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, said, "If labor and management agree to work 60 hours one week, they can reduce 8 hours the next week. This is applying flexible working hours when workload suddenly increases or delivery deadlines approach, and should be seen as labor time modernization."

Lee Jeong-sik, Minister of Employment and Labor, reiterated, "The system's intent is to work when work piles up and not work when there is none," based on feedback from labor and management on the ground. He also said the current '40+12 hours' system retains the factory law framework from the early industrialization period and does not fit the digital transformation era. He added that while the total annual hours remain fixed under the 52-hour system, the diversity of work forms is introduced reflecting difficulties faced by workers and employers, if both agree.

The minister said the global standard strictly limits maximum weekly hours like Korea but does not impose criminal penalties if violated, adding, "If labor and management do not want it, the current system can continue." He further explained, "Cases where agreements are not kept or legal protection blind spots exist are key reform targets, and monitoring systems will be strengthened."

Environment and Labor Committee subcommittee: 5 opposition members, 3 ruling party members... Difficult consensus expected

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, the 'up to 69 hours per week' system requires revision of the Labor Standards Act and must pass the National Assembly, making opposition consent essential. The bill has not yet been submitted to the Environment and Labor Committee for deliberation, and the consensus process is expected to be difficult. The Employment and Labor Bill Review Subcommittee consists of a majority from the opposition: including Democratic Party Chairman Kim Young-jin, four Democrats (Yoon Geon-young, Lee Su-jin, Jeon Yong-gi), three People Power Party members (Im I-ja, Park Dae-su, Kim Hyung-dong), and one Justice Party member (Lee Eun-joo).

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