Son Kyungshik, Chairman of the Korea Employers Federation (KEF), met with Kim Younghoon, the newly appointed Minister of Employment and Labor, at the KEF headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on July 24. Son stated, "The amendment of Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union Act (Yellow Envelope Act) could cause serious confusion and side effects throughout labor-management relations and the broader economy. Therefore, instead of rushing to revise the law, a cautious approach is necessary." He added, "I hope Minister Kim will provide a forum for social dialogue between labor and management to discuss the amendment of the Trade Union Act."
The Yellow Envelope Act aims to limit excessive claims for damages against striking workers and expand the definition of employers, thereby granting indirect employment (platform and subcontracted) workers the right to negotiate directly with principal employers. It also includes provisions to broaden the scope of labor disputes in order to ensure the protection of legitimate industrial actions.
Chairman Son and Minister Kim also continued discussions on recent labor issues. Son said, "Companies are concerned about the extension of the retirement age and the reduction of working hours," and requested, "I ask that Minister Kim listen to the voices of businesses in a balanced manner to promote the development of labor-management relations and the revitalization of the economy going forward."
He further stated, "Recently, due to difficult internal and external conditions, exports have been sluggish and domestic demand has not sufficiently recovered, resulting in a significant decline in overall economic vitality." He added, "The stability of labor-management relations is a key factor in national economic growth and strengthening industrial competitiveness, so I urge the government to make efforts to ensure labor-management stability with a balanced perspective."
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