Democratic Party to Adopt 'Yellow Envelope Act' as Party Policy... Also Promoting 'Thousand Won Breakfast'

The Democratic Party of Korea is expected to adopt the 'Yellow Envelope Act' (Amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act), which President Yoon Seok-yeol had exercised a veto on, as a party policy. They also plan to promote the '1,000 Won Breakfast' policy for university students, which was pledged during the 22nd general election.

Park Chan-dae, Acting Party Leader and Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 26th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the afternoon of the 27th, the Democratic Party held a party meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, and decided to adopt policies to be pursued in the future as party policies. The policies to be adopted that day include the 'Income Tax Act Amendment' to expand the scope of education expense tax credits to include elementary school arts and physical education academy fees, the 'Restriction of Special Taxation Act Amendment' to make tax credits permanent for landlords who reduce commercial rent, and the 'Higher Education Act Amendment' to provide 1,000 Won breakfasts to university students.

The 1,000 Won Breakfast is a pledge both the People Power Party and the Democratic Party promised to promote in the 22nd general election. The People Power Party pledged to double the government support unit price for universities wishing to participate in the 1,000 Won Breakfast project, while the Democratic Party promised to secure budgets to support 1,000 Won breakfasts for all university students. The Democratic Party’s move to adopt the 1,000 Won Breakfast policy as a party policy is interpreted as an effort to take the lead on this issue.

The Yellow Envelope Act is planned to be adopted as a party policy at the next party meeting. The Yellow Envelope Act limits companies' claims for damages against workers participating in strikes and strengthens the responsibility of primary contractors for subcontracted workers. However, President Yoon Seok-yeol exercised a veto on the Yellow Envelope Act last December.

The Democratic Party intends to pass a strengthened version of the Yellow Envelope Act in the 22nd National Assembly. This version of the Yellow Envelope Act also includes the deletion of 'Article 2, Paragraph 4, Subparagraph (d) of the Labor Union Act.' Deleting this clause, which does not recognize unions that allow non-workers to join, will broaden the scope of union membership to include platform workers, unemployed persons, and others.

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Hae-cheol argued at a legislative public hearing held by the National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee the day before, "This amendment is the minimum law for workers outside the system who are struggling with the minimum wage." On the other hand, People Power Party lawmaker Woo Jae-jun criticized, saying, "This law reduces or denies responsibility even when unions commit illegal acts during disputes," and "It is a law that requests a kind of privilege for unions."