Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Labor Standards Act

Proposed by Rep. Kim Wi-sang (People Power Party)

  • This bill would allow research and development workers in high-tech industries to be exempt from the 52-hour weekly working limit through employer-employee agreements, while requiring businesses adopting such agreements to implement a 4.5-day workweek.

Proposed Bill: Class Action Act

Proposed by Rep. Seo Young-kyo (Democratic Party of Korea)

  • This bill would introduce a class action mechanism under which one or more representative may file a suit on behalf of a class of persons to provide effective remedies for widespread harm.

Pending Bill: Partial Amendment to the Distribution Industry Development Act

Proposed by Rep. Kim Dong-ah (Democratic Party of Korea)

  • This bill would permit superstores and quasi-superstores to provide online delivery services during the mandatory closure periods that usually happen on Sundays.

Promulgated Bill: Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act

Competent Authority: Ministry of Employment and Labor

  • The “Yellow Envelope Act” took effect on March 10, allowing subcontracted workers to bargain with primary contractors and restricting employers from claiming excessive damages from striking workers.

Administrative Announcement: Partial Amendment to the Public Notice of Detailed Guidelines for Imposition of Penalty Surcharges

Competent Authority: Fair Trade Commission

  • The draft amendment would strengthen the criteria for determining penalty surcharges for collusion and revise the rules on aggravating and mitigating such surcharges to ensure effective sanctions against repeated or habitual violations.

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The Korea Herald republishes a weekly legislative report by local law firm D&A LLC to provide the latest information on bills approved, proposed, pending and set to be promulgated. — Ed.

For queries about the bills, contact cr@draju.com.