By Park Hyong-ki
Labor unions and companies here are locking horns over the latest political decision to reduce working hours.
The National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee recently reached a bipartisan agreement to reduce working hours from 68 to 52 hours per week.
Lawmakers have yet to come up with a detailed outline for a bill.
The government said it needs to reach a social consensus before shorter working hours become legally effective.
It would also have to come up with preemptive measures to minimize shock from the new system.
"We need to strike a balance so small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) will not be negatively affected by it," Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Joo Hyun-hwan said in a meeting with corporate researchers in Seoul, Wednesday. "Also, this should aim to improve working conditions and create more jobs."
Korea hopes the adoption of shorter working hours would increase jobs especially for young adults.
The reduction from 68 hours per week, including 16 hours on holidays, would lead businesses to hire more laborers to fill in the gaps following the legal adoption of 52 working hours.
Also, the country has sought to improve its working conditions as Koreans work the second-longest hours after Mexicans.
OECD data showed Koreans worked 2,113 hours in 2015. About 3.45 million laborers, or about 18 percent of the total, worked more than 52 hours per week.
The Korea Labor Institute projected that the reduction of its working hours would create 150,000 jobs over the next five years after implementation.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) said the time is ripe for better working conditions as companies have long taken advantage of the old system.
It has led to an increase in unpaid overtime and wages, the union group added.
"Politicians should not attach any conditions to allowing longer working hours beyond the legal limits," a KCTU official said.
The business community expressed its disappointment, saying shorter working hours would increase costs and affect their operations.
"There are concerns it would negatively affect SMEs," an official of the Korea Employers Federation said.
The committee is expected to pass the bill on Thursday, sending it to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee for review.
Labor unions and companies here are locking horns over the latest political decision to reduce working hours.
The National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee recently reached a bipartisan agreement to reduce working hours from 68 to 52 hours per week.
Lawmakers have yet to come up with a detailed outline for a bill.
The government said it needs to reach a social consensus before shorter working hours become legally effective.
It would also have to come up with preemptive measures to minimize shock from the new system.
"We need to strike a balance so small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) will not be negatively affected by it," Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Joo Hyun-hwan said in a meeting with corporate researchers in Seoul, Wednesday. "Also, this should aim to improve working conditions and create more jobs."
Korea hopes the adoption of shorter working hours would increase jobs especially for young adults.
The reduction from 68 hours per week, including 16 hours on holidays, would lead businesses to hire more laborers to fill in the gaps following the legal adoption of 52 working hours.
Also, the country has sought to improve its working conditions as Koreans work the second-longest hours after Mexicans.
OECD data showed Koreans worked 2,113 hours in 2015. About 3.45 million laborers, or about 18 percent of the total, worked more than 52 hours per week.
The Korea Labor Institute projected that the reduction of its working hours would create 150,000 jobs over the next five years after implementation.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) said the time is ripe for better working conditions as companies have long taken advantage of the old system.
It has led to an increase in unpaid overtime and wages, the union group added.
"Politicians should not attach any conditions to allowing longer working hours beyond the legal limits," a KCTU official said.
The business community expressed its disappointment, saying shorter working hours would increase costs and affect their operations.
"There are concerns it would negatively affect SMEs," an official of the Korea Employers Federation said.
The committee is expected to pass the bill on Thursday, sending it to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee for review.
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