Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon discusses the '52-hour workweek exemption' for the Southwestern Semiconductor Mega Special Zone and the difficulty in viewing long working hours as directly tied to industrial competitiveness.
Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon reports during a briefing by government ministries presided over by President Lee Jae Myung at the Blue House State Guest House on the 4th.
Yonhap News Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon stated, regarding discussions of a ‘52-hour workweek exemption’ for the Southwestern Semiconductor Mega Special Zone, that it is difficult to view long working hours as directly tied to industrial competitiveness.
He also noted that, although the business community is strongly demanding relaxations of working-hour regulations in connection with the Mega Special Zone Special Act, semiconductor companies are in fact not making good use of existing systems such as special extended work.
At a luncheon with the press corps held at the Government Complex Sejong cafeteria on the 5th, Minister Kim said, ‘In the Semiconductor Special Act as well, some said that without an exception to the 52-hour cap it would be ‘a steamed bun without red bean filling,’ yet even without that, companies are posting tremendous results now.
’ He went on to stress, ‘The debate over a 52-hour exception should not turn into a futile court-ritual dispute. We need to discuss on the basis of substance.
’ He pointed out that, even though the clause sought by business to exempt R&D personnel from the 52-hour workweek was removed in the process of enacting the Semiconductor Special Act that takes effect this month, semiconductor firms have still posted record results.
Minister Kim said, ‘The 52-hour exception has come to be seen as a symbol of the Mega Special Zone Special Act, but in reality, under the current system, special extended work is possible for up to one year. That is effectively a ‘white-collar exemption,’ adding, ‘Yet companies are not applying.
In the case of SK hynix, there are none at all. ’ Special extended work is a system that allows up to 64 working hours per week with the approval of the Minister of Employment and Labor when there are unavoidable reasons such as disasters or a sudden increase in workload.
Minister Kim’s remarks suggest that debate is overheating as companies demand an exception to the 52-hour system while not making full use of the existing scheme. In fact, SK hynix, which has set all-time records for five consecutive quarters in both revenue and operating profit, did not apply for special extended work even once in 20232024.
Last year, 380 people used this system over a three-month period, but only four of them worked 60 hours or more per week, which can be considered intensive labor, accounting for just 1.1% of the total.
‘It is perfectly legitimate to discuss making working hours more flexible, but the debate has become so excessive, as if leaving out this 52-hour exception were unacceptable, that healthy discussion has become difficult,’ Minister Kim said. However, Minister Kim said, ‘Nothing has been finalized by the government regarding the Mega Special Zone Special Act, and we are now in a phase of maturing the discussion.
’ As the minister in charge, he will ensure sufficient communication with labor as they proceed
Please follow us on Google to support usSouthwestern Semiconductor Mega Special Zone 52-Hour Workweek Exemption Industrial Competitiveness Working Hours Flexible Working Hours White-Collar Exemption Special Extended Work Record Results SK Hynix Working Conditions Labor Policy Labor Groups Government Minister In Charge Communication With Labor
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