FKTU follows Korea Enterprises Federation and KCTU with policy proposals; fifth session set for Tuesday on key disputes including 52-hour exemptions and extended fixed-term contracts

Employment and Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon holds a briefing at Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Sept. 15 on a proposal for social dialogue related to the Mega Special Zone Special Act, which includes exemptions from the 52-hour workweek for researchers in mega special zones and an expanded scope for dispatch work. [Yonhap]
Employment and Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon holds a briefing at Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Sept. 15 on a proposal for social dialogue related to the Mega Special Zone Special Act, which includes exemptions from the 52-hour workweek for researchers in mega special zones and an expanded scope for dispatch work. [Yonhap]

Labor, management and government representatives held their fourth working-level meeting Wednesday on labor exemptions for mega special zones, with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions presenting its policy proposals following earlier submissions by the Korea Enterprises Federation and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor said it convened the fourth session of the working-level consultative body for the so-called "one-point social dialogue" on the Mega Special Zone Special Act, which brings together labor, management and related ministries. The Federation of Korean Trade Unions led the policy presentation at the session. The specific contents of its proposals were not disclosed in the ministry's press materials.

The working-level body, which operates at the director-general level, was attended by the FKTU's policy bureau chief and the KCTU's planning director on the labor side, and by a Korea Enterprises Federation executive and a Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry bureau chief on the management side. From the government, director-general-level officials from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy participated, along with a representative from the Economic, Social and Labor Council.

The social dialogue process began on Sept. 15, when Employment and Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon proposed that labor and management directly discuss the need for labor exemptions and worker protections. The first working-level session was held Sept. 22, and at the second session on Oct. 2 the government outlined the concept and direction of the mega special zone initiative. At the third session on Thursday, the Korea Enterprises Federation and the KCTU each presented their labor policy proposals.

The Mega Special Zone Special Act is designed to nurture strategic industries such as semiconductors and AI and to establish regional growth hubs, incorporating fiscal and financial support, infrastructure investment and regulatory exemptions. Labor and management remain divided over the scope of labor exemptions to be applied within the zones.

The business community has called for labor flexibility measures including exemptions from the 52-hour workweek for high-income research and development workers, extended use periods for fixed-term employees and an expanded scope for dispatch work. Also under discussion are a so-called "2+2" fixed-term arrangement — which would allow the current two-year limit to be extended by an additional two years through labor-management agreement — and an expansion of the settlement period for flexible working-hour schemes.

Labor groups have drawn a clear line, saying their participation in the social dialogue does not amount to acceptance of labor exemptions. The FKTU has insisted that quality jobs and conditions related to education and housing must also be part of the discussions. The KCTU has put forward a four-and-a-half-day workweek and restrictions on the use of non-regular workers as agenda items.

At a National Assembly audit of the Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee on Tuesday, Minister Kim said the government would serve as a facilitator of dialogue on the mega special zone labor exemption discussions. "We will not predetermine the outcome, but will work to let dialogue produce results," he said.

The fifth working-level session is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Tuesday.


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