[2025 Audit] Kim Younghoon: "4.5-Day Workweek to Be Promoted Through Support Rather Than Legislation"

Ministry of Employment and Labor Faces National Assembly Audit on October 15
"4.5-Day Workweek, No Consideration for Uniform Measures"
Mandatory Retirement Pension and Pension Fund Under Review
Rethinking the Relationship Between Labor Unions and the Executive Branch

As the government moves to introduce a 4.5-day workweek, it has announced that it will promote on-site adoption by supporting workplaces rather than pursuing legislation.

On October 15, during the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s audit by the National Assembly Climate, Energy, Environment, and Employment and Labor Committee, Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Younghoon responded to a question from Park Haecheol, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, regarding the introduction of the 4.5-day workweek. He stated, “Rather than legislating, we will support workplaces that voluntarily adopt the system.” He added, “We plan to reduce working hours by supervising workplaces that fail to comply with the 52-hour workweek limit and by encouraging the use of annual leave.”

Kim Younghoon, Minister of Employment and Labor, is reporting on work at the National Assembly’s Climate, Energy, Environment, Employment, and Labor Committee’s audit of the Ministry of Employment and Labor held on the 15th.

In response to Kim Hyungdong, a member of the People Power Party, who pointed out the need to consider industries such as small businesses that may be burdened during the implementation of the 4.5-day workweek, Minister Kim replied, “We are not considering uniform measures that do not take into account the ability to pay.” He also said he would “actively consider” Kim’s suggestion to include small business owners in discussions at the social dialogue body.

Minister Kim also shared updates regarding the push for mandatory retirement pensions and the establishment of pension funds. He explained, “During the process of making retirement pensions mandatory, we are reviewing the inclusion of financial support for small businesses.” He further stated, “For retirement pensions, both profitability and safety are important, so we are considering how to achieve both. We will review whether it is better to unify pension fund management or to operate it alongside private sector management.”

With fatal accidents continuing to occur in various workplaces, An Hoyoung, Chairperson of the Climate, Energy, Environment, and Employment and Labor Committee, called for improvements to the current situation, in which only accidents covered by the Labor Standards Act and the Industrial Safety and Health Act are counted in official statistics. Minister Kim agreed, stating, “The government should compile statistics and develop countermeasures.” He also said, “The Ministry of Employment and Labor will take the lead in managing comprehensive statistics.”

Minister Kim also agreed with Park Haecheol of the Democratic Party of Korea, who argued that improvements are needed regarding labor union accounting disclosures and cuts to labor organization support budgets made under the previous administration. Minister Kim told Park, “I will report on how we plan to redefine the relationship between labor unions and the executive branch in relation to union accounting measures.”