"52-Hour Workweek Exception for Ventures and Startups"... Opposition Supports Labor Standards Act Amendment

Seminar on Flexible Working Hours for Ventures and Startups

At a seminar on flexible working hours hosted by the People Power Party on September 10, voices from the field emphasized the need to apply the "52-hour workweek" system more flexibly to small and venture businesses in response to changes in the industrial environment. The People Power Party announced plans to actively pursue legislative efforts, including supporting an amendment to the Labor Standards Act that would introduce monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual units for extended work hours.

Kim Sohee, a member of the People Power Party, stated at the "Seminar on Flexibility of Working Hour Systems for Venture and Startup Innovation," co-hosted by the party's Policy Committee and the Environment and Labor Committee at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on September 10, "In June, I proposed a bill to allow exceptions to the 52-hour workweek for high-income and professional positions and to apply a more flexible total working hour system. Anticipating difficulties due to opposition from the ruling party, the party's Environment and Labor Committee and Policy Committee have decided to support the bill at the party level."

Assemblywoman Kim said, "The structure of industries is changing, and the way artificial intelligence (AI) professionals and developers work is different from traditional manufacturing-based employees, so it is necessary to apply the law in various ways. If you look at Silicon Valley AI startup job postings, they say you must be ready to work intensely for more than 70 hours a week. Is our government responding appropriately?" she pointed out.

Kim Hyungdong, the People Power Party's secretary on the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee, emphasized, "The history of labor law is a history of reducing working hours, so some people misunderstand and think the People Power Party is moving in the opposite direction. However, the essential preconditions for achieving flexible working hours are ensuring the right to health and providing fair compensation," he said. "We are not talking about simply increasing working hours to produce results, as was done with labor law during the factory era."

Roh Minseon, a research fellow at the Korea Small Business Institute, presented the following policy alternatives at the seminar: ▲ strengthening labor-management choice regarding overtime work ▲ promoting flexible work arrangements ▲ providing practical AI education and nurturing core talent in small businesses ▲ establishing a virtuous cycle system for performance-based rewards. Roh explained, "Flexibility in working hours is crucial for reducing total working hours," and added, "Labor, management, and government must work together."

With the People Power Party deciding to support the Labor Standards Act amendment at the party level, attention is now focused on whether bipartisan agreement can be reached in the future. The bill proposed by Assemblywoman Kim includes provisions to extend the currently strict weekly management of overtime work to monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual units, and to expand the maximum period for utilizing flexible and selective working hour systems to one year. Jang Donghyuk, the leader of the People Power Party, said in his congratulatory remarks, "We will strive to ensure that the working hour system for ventures and startups can be improved rationally."