The government has officially announced plans to enact the Mega Special Zone Special Law by the end of the year, but significant differences remain between the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the Ministry of Employment and Labor regarding the 52-hour workweek exception. While MOTIE is actively considering flexible working hours, the Labor Ministry is taking a cautious stance on exceptions.
Kim Jeong-kwan, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated during a National Assembly meeting on August 12 that discussions are ongoing regarding work hour exceptions in the Mega Special Zone Special Law, including topics such as "white-collar exemptions (relaxation of work hour regulations for high-income professionals) and flexible working hours."
In response to a question from Kim Won-ki, a member of the Democratic Party, about expanding the management units for extended work hours from weekly to monthly, quarterly, or biannually, and whether discussions are taking place regarding exceptions to the 52-hour workweek, Minister Kim replied, "MOTIE, labor representatives, and the government are closely collaborating on this matter."
MOTIE believes that in advanced industries such as semiconductors, where the speed of research and development is directly linked to competitiveness, it is necessary to operate work hours flexibly during critical research periods.
Minister Kim reaffirmed this existing position when asked by Seo Ji-young, a member of the People Power Party, about his stance on the principle that "the will of workers should not be suppressed by the system." He responded, "That is correct."
On the other hand, Kim Young-hoon, the Minister of Employment and Labor, expressed during a National Assembly meeting on climate, energy, and labor that a cautious approach is necessary regarding exceptions to the 52-hour workweek for research and development personnel in the Mega Special Zone.
Minister Kim stated, "There is no disagreement that the Mega Special Zone must succeed and that we need to enhance corporate productivity," but he added, "We will consider how to harmonize corporate productivity with labor rights." When asked whether the 52-hour workweek exception would be applied to research positions in the Mega Special Zone, he indicated that "no decisions have been made by the government yet."
The Labor Ministry believes that since existing special extended work hour provisions can be utilized, caution is warranted regarding the introduction of separate exception systems. Minister Kim previously noted, "If a white-collar exemption is not introduced, it may hinder industrial development, and we need to examine what actual productivity improvements can be achieved based on reality."
The 52-hour workweek exception has been discussed in meetings chaired by the President, but it appears that the differences between the ministries have not been reconciled. When asked if there had been discussions on this topic in a closed meeting chaired by the President, Minister Kim stated, "It is difficult to answer as it was a closed meeting, but the discussions were similar to what was publicly shared between the ministries."
As President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for a "rapid advance" beyond just a "speed race" in promoting mega projects, inter-ministerial coordination is expected to be crucial for the enactment of the special law. The government plans to establish the Mega Special Zone Special Law within the year to support three major mega projects: semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers.
During the National Assembly session, there were also calls for prompt coordination between the ministries. Baek Hye-ryun, a member of the Democratic Party, emphasized that the Mega Special Zone Law cannot be handled solely by MOTIE, as it involves collaboration with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Labor Ministry. In response, Minister Kim stated, "If we can just accelerate, we can do anything."
Kim Jeong-kwan, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated during a National Assembly meeting on August 12 that discussions are ongoing regarding work hour exceptions in the Mega Special Zone Special Law, including topics such as "white-collar exemptions (relaxation of work hour regulations for high-income professionals) and flexible working hours."
In response to a question from Kim Won-ki, a member of the Democratic Party, about expanding the management units for extended work hours from weekly to monthly, quarterly, or biannually, and whether discussions are taking place regarding exceptions to the 52-hour workweek, Minister Kim replied, "MOTIE, labor representatives, and the government are closely collaborating on this matter."
MOTIE believes that in advanced industries such as semiconductors, where the speed of research and development is directly linked to competitiveness, it is necessary to operate work hours flexibly during critical research periods.
Minister Kim reaffirmed this existing position when asked by Seo Ji-young, a member of the People Power Party, about his stance on the principle that "the will of workers should not be suppressed by the system." He responded, "That is correct."
On the other hand, Kim Young-hoon, the Minister of Employment and Labor, expressed during a National Assembly meeting on climate, energy, and labor that a cautious approach is necessary regarding exceptions to the 52-hour workweek for research and development personnel in the Mega Special Zone.
Minister Kim stated, "There is no disagreement that the Mega Special Zone must succeed and that we need to enhance corporate productivity," but he added, "We will consider how to harmonize corporate productivity with labor rights." When asked whether the 52-hour workweek exception would be applied to research positions in the Mega Special Zone, he indicated that "no decisions have been made by the government yet."
The Labor Ministry believes that since existing special extended work hour provisions can be utilized, caution is warranted regarding the introduction of separate exception systems. Minister Kim previously noted, "If a white-collar exemption is not introduced, it may hinder industrial development, and we need to examine what actual productivity improvements can be achieved based on reality."
The 52-hour workweek exception has been discussed in meetings chaired by the President, but it appears that the differences between the ministries have not been reconciled. When asked if there had been discussions on this topic in a closed meeting chaired by the President, Minister Kim stated, "It is difficult to answer as it was a closed meeting, but the discussions were similar to what was publicly shared between the ministries."
As President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for a "rapid advance" beyond just a "speed race" in promoting mega projects, inter-ministerial coordination is expected to be crucial for the enactment of the special law. The government plans to establish the Mega Special Zone Special Law within the year to support three major mega projects: semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers.
During the National Assembly session, there were also calls for prompt coordination between the ministries. Baek Hye-ryun, a member of the Democratic Party, emphasized that the Mega Special Zone Law cannot be handled solely by MOTIE, as it involves collaboration with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Labor Ministry. In response, Minister Kim stated, "If we can just accelerate, we can do anything."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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