Regarding President Yoon Suk-yeol's directive to revise the 69-hour workweek system to 60 hours, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "They are managing national policy like bargaining over prices at an oil market," adding, "It is impossible to sympathize with the president's perception that up to 60 hours per week is acceptable."
On the 17th, Lee stated at the Democratic Party's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, "There is great public anger over the policy that forces a 69-hour workweek leading to death from overwork," and criticized, "Although the government and ruling party hastily began to reconsider the policy under strong opposition, even that is a complete mess."
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 17th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
He said, "Discussions on revising working hours must start by reflecting on our labor reality," and added, "Even though the 52-hour workweek system was introduced and working hours have shortened, South Korea still works about 200 to nearly 300 hours more than the OECD average, making it a society of overwork," emphasizing, "We must move toward a future society that at least matches the OECD average, not regress into a society of overwork." Lee also stated, "As I mentioned during the presidential election, we need to move beyond the five-day workweek to a 4.5-day workweek," and said, "A 69-hour workweek that regresses to the past is absolutely unacceptable."
Park Hong-geun, the Democratic Party floor leader, also said at the meeting, "69 hours is unreasonable; what is the basis for saying 60 hours is possible?" He added, "When faced with strong backlash, President Yoon said he would talk about 60 hours, but just like bargaining down the price of bean sprouts at a supermarket, cutting a few hours will never calm public criticism."
He said, "How can anyone trust a policy that changes like flipping a hand just because of one word from the president, considering how big an impact it will have on the lives of the people?" and stated, "The long working hours system represented by the 60-hour workweek is a declaration of backtracking against the global trend of reducing working hours."
Lee said, "I hope the revision of working hours will be carefully examined and responded to by considering who it is for and how it will change our society as a whole," and added, "The government must keep in mind that what it must do immediately is to reconsider the 69-hour system from the beginning and withdraw it."
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