Ruling and Opposition Parties in Full-Scale Battle over the 'Yellow Envelope Act'... Possibility of Utilizing the '60-Day Blind Spot'

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] Ahead of the general strike by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) scheduled for the 6th, the Democratic Party of Korea and the Justice Party have urged the revision of the so-called 'Yellow Envelope Act' (Amendment to Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act).

They suggested the possibility of the Democratic Party passing the bill alone, citing that even if the Yellow Envelope Act is blocked in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, if it remains pending for more than 60 days, it can be brought back to the plenary session through a vote in the standing committee. On the other hand, the People Power Party has labeled the Yellow Envelope Act as a 'law promoting illegal strikes,' stating, “It is equivalent to asking for extraterritorial rights for labor unions, which we cannot accept,” leading to a fierce confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties.

On the 5th, the Democratic Party’s Euljiro Committee held a press conference urging the revision of the Yellow Envelope Act. At the press conference, the Euljiro Committee emphasized, “The amendment to the Labor Union Act is an effort to prevent the harassment damage bomb inflicted on workers, a law that holds the real bosses accountable, and a realization of the common-sense statement that ‘those who work are workers.’” They also insisted, “The People Power Party should no longer ignore the desperate cries of workers and join the amendment to the Labor Union Act.”

During a back briefing after the press conference, Woo Won-sik, the inaugural chairman of the Euljiro Committee, said, “After the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering incident, I believe the issue of injunctions for damages, which has long been submerged, should no longer be neglected,” adding, “Since it is clear that injunctions for damages are used as a weapon by the management, this part must be definitely revised.”

Lee Eun-ju, leader of the Justice Party and a member of the National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee, directly criticized, “The Yoon Seok-yeol government must wake up from the dream of increasing approval ratings by cracking down on labor unions to secure its core supporters.” Lee emphasized, “If the labor-government relationship collapses, the Yoon administration must be held accountable.” She also stated, “The government side, which has taken charge of reviewing the Yellow Envelope Act in the Environment and Labor Committee, is refusing dialogue, saying it cannot amend a single clause,” adding, “The government is merely repeating the claims of employer organizations such as the Korea Employers Federation.”

The Democratic Party’s stance is to push for the passage of the Yellow Envelope Act by utilizing the so-called ‘60-day blind spot,’ even if the bill is blocked in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee after going through the general and full committee meetings. Park Joo-min, the opposition party’s secretary of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee who attended the press conference, said, “Various means, including the 60-day condition, can be utilized.”

According to the National Assembly Act, if a bill that has passed a standing committee remains pending in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee without discussion for 60 days, it can be sent back to the standing committee and then directly referred to the plenary session with the approval of three-fifths of the standing committee members.

On the other hand, the People Power Party holds the position that the Yellow Envelope Act contains unconstitutional elements and could promote ‘illegal strikes,’ making it impossible for them to participate in the bill’s discussion. Seong Il-jong, chairman of the People Power Party’s Policy Committee, said on the radio that day, “Even now, the labor law stipulates that no civil liability or damages can be imposed for lawful strikes,” adding, “If the Yellow Envelope Act passes, it would be tantamount to recognizing an extraterritorial zone for labor unions, which is unthinkable.”

Meanwhile, the opposition is expected to cooperate with labor groups tomorrow to increase pressure on the government. At 11 a.m. on the 6th, a press conference urging the Yellow Envelope Act will be held with 1,000 legal professionals and a group of lawmakers participating together.