Opposition Starts Direct Submission of Yellow Envelope Act to Plenary Session... Decision Expected on 24th

Schedule of the Environment and Labor Committee Full Meeting on the 24th
Likely to Proceed with Direct Referral Following 60 Days of Pending at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee

The Yellow Envelope Act (an amendment to the Labor Union Act) is expected to proceed to a plenary session referral process at the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee on the 24th. The likelihood of the Yellow Envelope Act, which has seen significant differences in opinion among both ruling and opposition parties as well as between management and labor sectors, undergoing a plenary vote has increased.

On the 18th, Lee Eun-ju, a member of the Justice Party, told Asia Economy in a phone interview, "At the last Environment and Labor Committee plenary meeting, I requested the processing (direct referral) of the Yellow Envelope Act according to the National Assembly Act through a procedural speech. Since Jeon Hae-cheol, the chairman of the Environment and Labor Committee, said he would continue consultations among the secretaries and follow the related procedures, I expect it to be directly referred (following the related procedures) on the 24th."

A National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee official stated, "After the subcommittee meetings on the 22nd and 23rd, a plenary meeting of the Environment and Labor Committee is scheduled." The plenary meeting schedule is not primarily based on the Yellow Envelope Act timetable but is held to review related bills ahead of the plenary session on the 25th by holding subcommittees, etc. Therefore, although the direct referral of the Yellow Envelope Act is not officially listed as an agenda item, both ruling and opposition sides of the Environment and Labor Committee are keeping the possibility of direct referral in mind.

On the 25th, at the Environment and Labor Committee plenary meeting held in the National Assembly, Kim Young-jin, the Democratic Party secretary, is conversing with Chairman Jeon Hae-cheol. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

The Environment and Labor Committee has been discussing the direct referral to the plenary session due to the Yellow Envelope Act, which passed the committee plenary meeting on February 21 but has been pending in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee for over 60 days. Regarding this, Jeon Hae-cheol, chairman of the Environment and Labor Committee (affiliated with the Democratic Party of Korea), said on the 25th of last month, when the previous plenary meeting was held, "As chairman of the Environment and Labor Committee, I urge the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to promptly review bills that have undergone sufficient examination and approval." He added, "If the Legislation and Judiciary Committee does not proceed with the review, the Environment and Labor Committee will take necessary measures according to the National Assembly Act at the next meeting." Political circles interpret Chairman Jeon's remarks as a final warning that if the Legislation and Judiciary Committee does not complete the review by the next plenary meeting, the direct referral procedure will be initiated.

In this regard, a People Power Party official from the Environment and Labor Committee said, "I don't know whether it will be directly referred, but we are preparing for it," adding, "If it goes up for direct referral on the 24th, there is no way to stop it."

The Yellow Envelope Act includes provisions that allow those who are not parties to the labor contract but hold positions that can substantially and concretely control and determine the working conditions of workers, such as the primary contractor, to be regarded as employers. It also limits claims for damages related to labor disputes. The Yellow Envelope Act was proposed during the 21st National Assembly following the trial of the subcontractor union strike at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. Last August, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering filed a damage claim worth 47 billion won against five executives of the subcontractor union.

Meanwhile, although the first trial of the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering subcontractor union strike, which had been postponed several times, was scheduled to proceed on this day, the trial was postponed at the company's request. Initially, Representative Lee had prepared a press conference to coincide with the first trial date, but the press conference was also canceled due to the trial schedule postponement. Representative Lee stated, "The first trial date was postponed by four months to September 21 due to a unilateral application by the company," adding, "The reason for the postponement was specified as the need for a new review of the trial response due to the planned management change at Hanwha."

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