By Honorary Reporter Mathilde Lafage from France
Photos= Korea.net's Flickr account

The Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club on Oct. 20 hosted a Coffee Briefing with Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young Hoon. Following recent developments in Korean labor law, global media invited him to speak on such changes.

On Aug. 24, the National Assembly passed the Yellow Envelope Act, an amendment to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act that allows unions to strike over workplace conditions affected by corporate restructuring and protects laborers and unions from excessive financial liability for damage sustained during a work stoppage.

The revision is named after the 2014 movement in which Koreans sent yellow envelopes with cash to support striking workers facing financial liability for walking off the job.

The move ignited strong opposition from corporations and pro-business federations including the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Korean Industries and Korea Federation of SMEs. It was passed, however, through the legislature through a 183-3 vote.

With labor rights and employee well-being a major national issue, this reform has drawn global interest. Minister Kim, a former union leader, answered questions from foreign journalists to raise global understanding of this legislative shift and labor issues.

Some of the questions were about international students in the country, who often face major barriers even before entering the workforce. Many come to Korea to study the language through scholarships but find it difficult to find jobs after graduation, partly because of inadequate proficiency in Korean.

Minister Kim acknowledged the existence of illegal practices because of these issues. He also mentioned a forthcoming training program for such students with a language or art background to facilitate their integration into the Korean labor market while reflecting their interest in Korean culture.

This reform is seen as the first in a series of broader changes in labor law. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, a group the minister once chaired, has urged the adoption of other measures like an anti-discrimination law and reform of the country's conglomerate-driven economy.

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.