Strengthened 'Yellow Envelope Act'... Submitted to Standing Committee Led by Opposition Party

Management Expresses Concern... "Encouraging Illegal Strikes"

The Democratic Party of Korea continues its legislative dominance in standing committees formed solely by itself. When the opposition parties submitted the 'Yellow Envelope Act' (Amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act), which allows unemployed individuals to join labor unions, to the standing committee, the labor sector welcomed it, while the business community expressed concerns.

Ahn Ho-young, Chairman of the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee, is presiding over the 2nd plenary meeting of the committee held at the National Assembly on the 20th. Members of the People Power Party and government officials did not attend this meeting. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the 20th, opposition lawmakers held a full meeting of the Environment and Labor Committee (HwanNoWi) at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, and decided to submit the Yellow Envelope Act. According to the National Assembly Act, the amendment must undergo a 15-day deliberation period, but on this day, opposition lawmakers skipped this through a resolution. An Ho-young, chairperson of the Environment and Labor Committee, said, "The deliberation period for the Yellow Envelope Act has not passed," but added, "Considering the urgency and inevitability of processing the agenda, such as expanding the scope of labor disputes to broadly protect workers' rights from excessive damage claims by employers."

Except for the Reform New Party, the six opposition parties are determined to pass and implement the Yellow Envelope Act, which President Yoon Suk-yeol vetoed, in the 22nd National Assembly. Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Yong-woo, Innovation Party lawmaker Shin Jang-sik, and Progressive Party lawmaker Yoon Jong-oh jointly introduced the Yellow Envelope Act as main sponsors, with 87 other lawmakers including Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party, Han Chang-min of the Social Democratic Party, and Kim Jong-min of the New Future Party participating as co-sponsors. On the 18th, Lee stated at a press conference, "The attitude of the government and ruling party toward the Yellow Envelope Act in the 21st National Assembly was to reject the discussion itself," and added, "In the 22nd National Assembly, we will do everything possible to ensure the Yellow Envelope Act passes the plenary session and is promulgated and implemented by the president."

However, the Yellow Envelope Act discussed in this Environment and Labor Committee is evaluated to be stronger than the existing Yellow Envelope Act. This version deletes Article 2, Paragraph 4, Subparagraph (la) of the Labor Union Act, which only allowed workers to join unions. If this law passes, not only the unemployed but also platform workers, who were not classified as workers, will be able to join labor unions.

The labor sector welcomes the proposal of this Yellow Envelope Act. The two major labor unions, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), hold the position that the passage of the Yellow Envelope Act should broadly guarantee workers' rights. Yang Kyung-soo, chairman of the KCTU, said, "The National Assembly must step up as the last bastion to protect the rights of workers and ordinary people," and warned, "If the Yoon Suk-yeol administration again denies workers' rights, it will face stern judgment and resistance from workers and the public."

On the other hand, the business community is concerned that the strengthened Yellow Envelope Act will increase illegal strikes by labor unions. The Korea Employers Federation criticized in a statement, "According to the bill, even collusive acts by self-employed individuals would be protected as collective actions under the Labor Union Act," and added, "It effectively blocks claims for damages against illegal strike actions, encouraging illegal strikes and making civil damage claims virtually impossible, thereby infringing on constitutional property rights."

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