President Lee Jae-myung emphasized on October 23 that any exceptions to the 52-hour workweek for the semiconductor industry must include wage compensation for additional labor. He called for discussions on improving existing systems and administrative procedures to address workplace challenges while considering workers' health rights.
During the second plenary meeting of the Regulatory Reform Committee held at the Blue House, President Lee stated, "The fundamental principle is that we cannot create a system that does not compensate for additional labor through any special legislation."
Park Geun-soo, Vice President of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, requested the realization of special working hour exceptions for key research and development personnel within the year. He also pointed out the administrative hurdles, such as prior approvals and the need for Ministry of Employment and Labor consent when utilizing existing special extended work systems.
In response, President Lee questioned whether existing systems could be supplemented to resolve these issues, asking, "Is there really a need to create a new system for such reasons when we could provide comprehensive solutions in advance?" He noted that the remaining significant issue appears to be health rights.
President Lee instructed Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon to engage in in-depth discussions with the industry on whether there are ways to amend implementation regulations or simplify procedures. He also highlighted the lack of trust between labor and management, urging the Labor Ministry to take an active role. Minister Kim responded that he would examine the challenges faced by companies in utilizing existing systems and work to build trust to achieve results.
After the meeting, President Lee reiterated the direction of regulatory reform in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He stated, "We must not stop at 'there's a regulation, so we have no choice' but rather boldly seek better methods." He explained that mega-projects and super-regional special zones are part of a national strategy to break the cycle of concentration in the metropolitan area and regional decline.
He promised to directly address the challenges faced by local youth to ensure they can work in their regions rather than migrating to metropolitan areas. He also mentioned the 300 regulatory exceptions included in the recently proposed super-regional special zone law, expressing hope for thorough and swift review by the National Assembly and committing to proactively improve any issues that can be resolved before the law is enacted.
Regarding the lack of information and complex regulations in the startup process, he emphasized the need to eliminate conventional regulations, stating, "We will open a 'national startup era' where anyone with an idea can take on challenges."
President Lee concluded by stating, "It’s not about how many regulations we have improved, but rather showing results in investment, startups, and job creation through tangible figures. We will ensure that changes on the ground will boost growth, plant the future in regions, and invigorate people's livelihoods."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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