South Korean Unions Protest 'Mega Special Zone Act,' Citing Labor Rights Concerns

Labor unions in South Korea's Gwangju and Jeonnam regions have strongly criticized the government's proposed "Mega Special Zone Act," demanding the deletion of special labor provisions within the legislation. The unions argue that the act, intended to foster advanced industries, would effectively dismantle worker protections and regress labor rights.

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The Mega Special Zone Act is being transformed into a special act that erodes the protection system of the Labor Standards Act and regresses workers' rights under the guise of fostering the advanced industry.

At a press conference held in front of the Gwangju City Hall, representatives from the Gwangju and Jeonnam regional headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) voiced their opposition. They pointed to specific measures reportedly under government review, including exceptions to the 52-hour work week for R&D personnel, expanded use of selective work hours, extending the duration of fixed-term contracts from two to four years, and increasing the deployment of temporary workers – all demands previously made by the business sector.

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In the semiconductor production field, we are already working more than 52 hours a week. We manage double attendance logs so as not to be caught by the law.

Lee Soo-ok, head of the Amkor branch of the Metal Workers' Union in Gwangju and Jeonnam, shared experiences from the semiconductor production floor. She stated that workers already exceed 52 hours weekly, with companies managing work logs to circumvent the law. Employees are expected to be available 24/7, often without overtime pay due to comprehensive wage systems, leading to burnout and potential departures from the region.

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If exposed to long working hours, people will leave. We strongly condemn and oppose it as an evil law that solidifies long and dangerous work and regresses basic labor rights.

KCTU Gwangju regional head Lee Jong-wook reiterated the unions' initial support for the Honam semiconductor cluster project, hoping for quality job creation. However, he emphasized that the "Mega Special Zone Act" fundamentally contradicts this goal by potentially entrenching long and dangerous working conditions and undermining basic labor rights. The unions called for a reduction in working hours in the AI era, alongside discussions on labor transition, job security, social safety nets, and the social return of corporate profits derived from state support.

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In the age of artificial intelligence, rather than increasing working hours, we should aim for a more drastic reduction in working hours than now to share future jobs and prepare for new industrial transitions.