The Oldest Economic Organization Leader, Son Kyungshik
Vacation Postponed from Late Last Month
Further Uncertainty Due to Plenary Session Delay
Clearing His Schedule to Block Legislation
Son Kyungshik, the chairman of the Korea Employers Federation (KEF) and the oldest leader among economic organizations, has once again found himself in a hectic routine as the National Assembly postpones the handling of the 'Yellow Envelope Act' (the amendment to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act). He had set the previous day's National Assembly plenary session as the 'deadline', even postponing his vacation to urgently appeal to politicians, but now finds himself anxious as the plenary session has been delayed.
Kyunghwan Sohn, Chairman of the Korea Employers Federation (left), and Jungkwan Kim, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, are having a meeting at the Federation of Korean Industries building in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 4th. Photo by Yonhap News
According to industry sources on August 5, Chairman Son originally planned to take a four-day vacation at the end of last month, but as the legislative process for the Yellow Envelope Act accelerated, he rescheduled his vacation for August 8 to 11. However, with the passage through the National Assembly delayed once again, his vacation plans have become uncertain. A KEF official stated, "Chairman Son has cleared his entire schedule to block the Yellow Envelope Act and is meeting with National Assembly members or government officials whenever possible," adding, "Even the vacation rescheduled for early this month is now uncertain."
Born in 1939 and well into his eighties, Chairman Son plans to devote his remaining time to blocking the Yellow Envelope Act. On this day as well, he met with other economic organization leaders and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yooncheol to convey his concerns about the act. Since last month, Chairman Son has visited political circles more than ten times, urging the need for 'social dialogue.' He has appealed that a deliberative process involving not only the ruling and opposition parties but also business, labor, and experts is necessary to discuss the Yellow Envelope Act.
Starting with a meeting with members of the Social Affairs Subcommittee of the National Policy Planning Committee on July 9, he held a discussion with members of the Democratic Party's National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee on July 14. He also met with Jin Sungjoon, Democratic Party Policy Committee Chairman (July 16), Kim Byungki, Democratic Party Floor Leader (July 22), Ahn Hoyoung, Environment and Labor Committee Chairman (July 25), Lee Yongwoo, Democratic Party lawmaker (July 25), Kim Younghoon, Minister of Employment and Labor (July 25), Kim Hyungdong, People Power Party lawmaker and opposition secretary of the Environment and Labor Committee (July 28), and Kim Jungkwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (August 4), to repeatedly explain the problems with the Yellow Envelope Act.
Son Kyungshik, chairman of the Korea Employers Federation (KEF), is talking with Kim Younghoon, Minister of Employment and Labor, who visited the KEF building in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 24th of last month. Photo by Yonhap News
Lee Donggeun, the executive vice chairman of KEF who assists Chairman Son, has also postponed his summer vacation to meet with political and business figures. On July 31, he officially requested a 'boycott' of the Yellow Envelope Act in meetings with Song Eonseok, People Power Party Emergency Response Committee Chairman and Floor Leader, and Park Hyungsoo, People Power Party lawmaker and secretary of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.
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