By Kim Bo-eun
Kakao is in discord with the government’s move to ban assigning work after hours via phone messenger apps, such as Kakao’s own mobile messenger app Kakao Talk.
It is a common practice in Korea and President Moon Jae-in, when elected, pledged to end it to guarantee workers complete, uninterrupted rest after work.
Government discussions on the issue began in August. Last month, the labor minister approached Kakao to join hands in figuring out a means to make this happen, particularly requesting Kakao add a function that would enable users to set a time for their messages to be delivered.
Kakao’s response came on Monday, almost a month later, expressing its reluctance to take pre-legislative action.
“We welcome the social discussion on the right to disconnect after work hours, but we do not believe this is a matter that should be proceeded with by individual discussions between the labor ministry and a certain mobile messaging service,” Yonhap News Agency cited a Kakao official as saying. “We do not have plans to discuss the matter with the ministry.”
Critics said the government was pushing to act to please voters without proper legislative grounds.
A survey by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) showed 74 percent of office workers said they received work-related messages after working hours and 60 percent of them said this puts them under severe stress.
Korea is known for its long work hours. According to OECD’s 2015 figures, the average working hours for Korean citizens were 2,124 per year, the second-longest among OECD states.
While it is commonplace to remain at the office after hours, the ever-connected work environment is placing an even greater burden on workers as they can be easily reached even after they leave work.
National Assembly politicians have begun to recognize the right to disconnect but are moving slowly.
In August, Reps. Lee Yong-ho and Son Kum-ju of the minor opposition People’s Party proposed a bill that would limit employers from assigning work via electronic devices. The bill defines this practice as a violation of employees’ right to a private life. The bill states the employer pays workers at least half of their base wage for after-duty assignments in case work must inevitably be done.
On the provincial government level, however, things seem to move faster.
Last month, Seoul’s city council passed amended ordinance banning city government officials on the managerial level from assigning work via social media or instant messengers after hours.