[Editorial] The president, too, has called for a way out of the 52-hour workweek; resolve the issue promptly

We take note of President Lee Jae Myung’s remarks at the Regulatory Rationalization Committee meeting on the 23rd, urging that work on a solution to the 52-hour workweek be expedited. That day, President Lee said that, regarding the proposal to add an exception to the 52-hour workweek to the Super-Regional Special Zone Act (Mega Special Zone Act), which supports the Honam semiconductor cluster, there might be a way to amend the enforcement decree under the existing system or simplify the authorization process. The point was that a solution could be found by using the current system without enacting a new special-exceptions law.
The global semiconductor race is a day-by-day battle against time. Applying uniform labor regulations during periods when experiments and verification are concentrated according to development schedules inevitably puts companies at a disadvantage in the technological competition. In particular, developing advanced processes often involves successive follow-on work based on experimental results. For that reason, the flexibility to deploy research personnel intensively when needed is an important condition for competing in development. The business community has long called for this. It has also submitted a petition asking that the exception for mega special zones be implemented within the year. The president’s mention of the possibility of simplifying procedures can be taken as a signal that the demands from the field should no longer be left unaddressed. The relevant departments must now actively seek a solution.
Politicians, too, must get in step. Earlier, the Democratic Party of Korea introduced two versions of the Super-Regional Special Zone Act: one that included labor exemptions, such as an exception to the 52-hour workweek, and another that excluded them. This was out of concern about opposition from labor groups, even as the party agreed that exceptions were necessary. With such an equivocal stance, neither the success of mega special zones nor an edge in semiconductor dominance can be assured. How can they support a fast-paced semiconductor race while submitting opposing bills at the same time and failing even to set a date for their passage?
With the president once again calling for a fast-paced response, prompt follow-up measures are needed. The Ministry of Employment and Labor should simplify the approval process for special overtime work and devise ways to make it easier to use in the workplace by reducing the burden on companies of having to apply for approval each time. Legislation need only address the aspects that are difficult to resolve under the existing system. Of course, workers must receive fair compensation for additional work resulting from more flexible working hours, and their right to health must be protected. Improvements to the system must be finalized within the year, guided by these principles.
The government has also announced plans to designate one super-regional special zone in each region nationwide by the first half of next year and introduce around 320 regulatory exemptions. The aim is to ease the concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area and develop advanced industries into engines of regional growth. However, designation as a special zone alone does not guarantee business investment or jobs. Even with bold support measures, it will be difficult to expect results if companies do not experience change on the ground. The government must dramatically shorten permitting and approval timelines and provide key infrastructure, including electricity and water, on time, while also ensuring flexibility in managing the research and development workforce that companies need. The government and ruling party should stop wasting time on fruitless disputes over working hours and instead move quickly to workable solutions.