Protection of Labor Rights for Entertainment and Broadcasting Workers... Strengthening Collaboration Between Ministry of Employment and Labor and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Introduction of Standard Subcontract Agreement for Entertainment Management
Fostering a Culture of Written Contracts in the Broadcasting Production Field

Lee Jeong-sik, Minister of Employment and Labor [Photo by Yonhap News]

The government has decided to strengthen interdepartmental collaboration to protect the labor rights and interests of workers in the entertainment management and broadcasting production sectors, where working conditions are poor.

On the 4th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that it has agreed to join forces with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to protect the labor rights of workers in the entertainment management and broadcasting production fields and improve their working environments.

Earlier, in July, the Ministry of Employment and Labor conducted labor inspections targeting on-site workers in the entertainment management sector, such as road managers and fashion assistants, and confirmed that working conditions were poor due to structural characteristics such as uncertainty in celebrity schedules and subcontracting contracts.

At that time, the Ministry conducted labor inspections on two entertainment agencies and ten fashion stylist companies, uncovering a total of 43 violations of basic labor regulations.

Going forward, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, together with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, plans to introduce a standard subcontract contract that reflects the characteristics of the entertainment management sector, including fashion stylists, to establish fair subcontracting contract practices.

Additionally, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will include major labor-related laws and violation cases in the training content for popular culture arts planners it oversees, and strengthen education by having labor inspectors participate as instructors.

Joint meetings with associations and organizations in the entertainment management sector will be held to encourage the creation of a healthy labor environment on the ground, and regular interdepartmental consultations will be institutionalized to ensure smooth cooperation between the two ministries.

The government also plans to strengthen cooperation to improve the labor environment in the broadcasting production sector, which has been criticized for poor working conditions.

On the 17th of last month, Park Bo-gyun, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, met with broadcasting production companies and production personnel to listen to their opinions and pledged to improve the outsourcing production environment. Accordingly, the two ministries plan to discuss fostering a culture of labor contract signing and written contract preparation.

Yang Jeong-yeol, Director of the Labor Inspection Policy Division, said, "To properly protect the labor rights and interests of various occupational groups in our society, such as those in the entertainment management sector, collaboration based on the expertise of relevant ministries is important. We will carefully examine whether there are any blind spots in labor rights protection and strengthen interdepartmental cooperation to properly protect the labor rights of vulnerable workers in various fields."