"Not a 60-hour guide" → "60 hours is too much"
Even within the ruling party, "Final stance not settled"
The controversy surrounding the revised working hours plan of 'up to 69 hours per week' continues. Following backlash against the government's proposal to 'work long hours but take extended leave,' criticism has emerged that inconsistent messages between ministries regarding the policy are causing confusion.
On the 21st, President Yoon Suk-yeol directly stated at the Cabinet meeting regarding the revision of working hours, "I still believe that working more than 60 hours per week is excessive from a health protection perspective." This is interpreted as his intention to limit the maximum weekly working hours to within 60 hours.
President Yoon added, "There may be opinions that this is a retreat from the policy of flexible working hours, but I think that without setting an upper limit on weekly working hours, it is realistically difficult to protect the health rights of vulnerable workers."
President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking about the normalization of Korea-Japan relations and the flexibilization of working hours at the Cabinet meeting held on the 21st at the Yongsan Presidential Office Building in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
The Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) announced on the 6th a revised working hours plan that expands the management unit of overtime work from 'week' to 'month, quarter, half-year, and year,' with the intention of "working up to 69 hours in a week when there is a lot of work and resting well when there is less."
The MOEL explained that this is a flexibilization from '52 hours per week' to an 'average of 52 hours per week,' and that the total working hours do not increase. However, criticism regarding its effectiveness arose, especially among the younger generation, with comments such as "How can we take long-term leave when we can't even use our statutory annual leave?" The Presidential Office then shifted its stance on the 16th, stating that there was a supplementary directive from President Yoon that "working more than 60 hours per week is excessive."
However, on the 20th, a senior official from the Presidential Office reiterated that the supplementary directive from President Yoon was "not intended to provide a guideline for discussion." This was interpreted as an intention to re-promote the MOEL's plan. Amid these several changes in policy messages, President Yoon once again expressed at the Cabinet meeting today that he believes "working more than 60 hours is excessive."
Voices criticizing the policy confusion regarding the working hours system reform also emerged at the plenary session of the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee. Jeon Hae-cheol, chairman of the Environment and Labor Committee and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out to MOEL Minister Lee Jung-sik, who attended the meeting, that "the President and the Minister are saying different things about the working hours reform plan." Minister Lee responded, "As the minister in charge, I acknowledge many shortcomings and feel sorry."
Criticism also arose within the ruling party regarding the lack of unified messaging on the policy announcement. Ha Tae-kyung, a member of the People Power Party, said in an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' "Looking at the Presidential Office's response now, the final position has not been settled. It should be a one-voice message, but two voices are coming out."
He added, "It is very unpolished and amateurish," and said, "The government has not clearly stated its position on the reality where people are asked to work more without additional pay and where leave is not properly guaranteed, which has led to all kinds of misunderstandings."
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