Yoon Jae-ok: "Nursing Act Rejected in Re-vote... Fair Recruitment Act Adopted as Party Policy"

Presidential Veto Exercised for the Second Time
Nursing Act Rejected in National Assembly Vote as Party Policy
Labor Reform Bill Promoted as Party Policy

The People Power Party has decided to reject the Nursing Act bill again if it is brought back to a vote in the National Assembly after President Yoon Seok-yeol exercised his veto power. The Fair Hiring Act (a comprehensive revision of the Act on Fair Hiring Procedures), promoted as part of labor reform, was also adopted as the party's official stance.

On the 17th, Yoon Jae-ok, the floor leader of the People Power Party, told reporters after a party meeting, "If the Democratic Party brings the Nursing Act bill, which was requested for reconsideration, to a vote, we have decided as a party to reject it."

Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 15th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

President Yoon exercised his veto power on the Nursing Act bill the day before. This was the second time in 42 days, following the amendment to the Grain Management Act on the 4th of last month. The Democratic Party strongly opposed President Yoon's veto and immediately announced their intention to re-vote on the Nursing Act.

Following this, Floor Leader Yoon stated, "We have also adopted the Fair Hiring Act as the party's official stance." The core of the Fair Hiring Act is to increase the level of punishment, including criminal penalties for companies involved in unfair hiring practices such as employment inheritance or forced hiring. In particular, it includes provisions to prevent excessive personal information requests from job seekers without justifiable reasons, such as asking about parents' occupations during document screening or interviews.

The Fair Hiring Act is a key pillar of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's labor reform. The Labor Reform Special Committee, launched for the first time after Floor Leader Yoon took office and chaired by Representative Im I-ja, has been focusing on making the Fair Hiring Act their first legislative priority. In his opening remarks, he explained, "As the President said at the Cabinet meeting, we can no longer delay correcting the wrong hiring practices and establishing labor-management legalism," and added, "The party has thoroughly prepared legislative support for the government's labor reform through the Labor Reform Special Committee."

When asked whether they plan to recommend the President exercise veto power on the Broadcasting Act amendment bill, which the Democratic Party might attempt to push through, Floor Leader Yoon answered, "No."

Floor Leader Yoon also expressed discomfort over the Democratic Party's unilateral passage of the interest-free student loan repayment law at the National Assembly's Education Committee the day before. The interest-free student loan repayment law exempts interest for young people attending university from households with a monthly income exceeding 10 million won. Despite opposition from the ruling party, the Democratic Party passed it unilaterally. Citing suspicions involving former Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Nam-guk, Floor Leader Yoon said, "To hide their immorality and illegal suspicions, they are accelerating legislative rampage backed by the majority," and stated, "Despite the massive political regression, we will actively pursue reform in the Republic of Korea."

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