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🇰🇷 South Korea /Economy & Trade

Innovation Party: Exempting 'mega-special zones' from 52-hour workweek is unacceptable

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The Innovation Party criticized the government's proposal to exempt "mega-special zones" from the 52-hour workweek limit.
  • The party argued that workers' health and safety rights are non-negotiable and cited the semiconductor industry's success without such exemptions.
  • They pointed to data showing SK Hynix's strong performance despite fewer special extended work permits compared to Samsung Electronics, suggesting technology and business judgment are key to competitiveness.

South Korea's Innovation Party has strongly opposed a proposal to exempt "mega-special zones" from the 52-hour workweek limit, calling it a non-negotiable infringement on workers' health and safety. The party urged the government to retract the plan, emphasizing that the minimum safety net for worker well-being cannot be a subject of bargaining.

The minimum safety net for workers' health is not a subject for negotiation.

— Kim Sun-minStating the Innovation Party's stance on labor rights.

Kim Sun-min, the party's policy chief, argued that the causal link between extended working hours and industrial competitiveness has not been proven. He pointed to the semiconductor industry's record performance, achieved without special exceptions to the 52-hour workweek when the Semiconductor Special Act passed in January. This, he stated, refutes the claim that the 52-hour system hinders industrial development.

Kim cited data from Rep. Lee Yong-woo's office, which indicated that while Samsung Electronics received 25 special extended work permit applications for semiconductor research and development between 2023 and April 2025, SK Hynix received none. Despite this, SK Hynix's semiconductor operating profit surpassed Samsung's in 2023-2024, demonstrating that technological prowess and strategic business decisions, not just long hours, drive competitiveness.

The causal relationship between extended working hours and industrial competitiveness has not been confirmed.

— Kim Sun-minChallenging the government's rationale for extending work hours.

Furthermore, Kim highlighted concerns raised by the National Samsung Electronics Union regarding inadequate disclosure of hazardous materials in semiconductor manufacturing environments. Allowing exemptions to the 52-hour workweek under such conditions, he warned, would place the burden of health and safety risks squarely on the workers.

The success of our semiconductor industry under the 52-hour workweek law, without any exceptions, proves that the 52-hour system does not hinder industrial development.

— Kim Sun-minUsing the semiconductor industry's performance as evidence.

Earlier, on July 6, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeong-kwan had suggested that while the 52-hour rule is necessary, systems surrounding working hours need review for advanced industries like semiconductors, R&D, and startups, stating that "the system should not break the will of those who want to work."

The performance reports of the two companies themselves prove that competitiveness is determined by cutting-edge technology and business judgment, not long working hours.

— Kim Sun-minComparing Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix's performance.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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