'Deeply aware of diverse voices on working-hours system'
'Will protect competitiveness without undermining labor's value'
Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok said Wednesday he would make the so-called mega-zone special district bill the top legislative priority of the regular National Assembly session, and pledged to find a "rational alternative" on labor exemptions — including a proposed exception to the 52-hour workweek — that would preserve labor's value while securing industrial competitiveness.
Speaking at a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly, Kim said the party had introduced the bill to break through the crisis of regional depopulation and overhaul the country's growth framework. "We will push the mega-zone special district bill as the top legislative priority in the regular session," he said.
He said the Democratic Party would firmly back what he called three major mega-projects to "get South Korea running again," pledging support through infrastructure supply, bold fiscal and financial measures, tax incentives and sweeping regulatory reform so that regional areas can take the lead in future industries.
Kim said he was "deeply aware of the diverse voices" surrounding working-hours rules in advanced research and development sectors and promised swift deliberations. "We will produce a rational alternative that does not undermine the value of labor while ensuring we do not lose competitiveness," he said.
He also urged the opposition to actively participate in the swift passage of the mega-zone bill "to win the global technology war."
The Democratic Party plans to introduce two separate versions of the bill — one including labor exemptions such as a 52-hour workweek exception and one without — before settling on a final draft through further discussion. However, sustained pushback from labor groups over the exemptions is expected to complicate the bill's review process.
Kim also used the occasion of the 81st Police Day to reaffirm his commitment to police reform. "This is a critical period in which a new criminal justice system — one that strictly separates investigation and indictment — must take root," he said, adding that investigative capabilities needed to be strengthened to counter sophisticated crimes.
He said the Democratic Party would work through its internal police reform task force in cooperation with the government's police reform committee to help produce a reform plan that raises both professionalism and accountability.
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